Beginnings, Endings, Something in Between
by JennieJoy72
Summary: This is going to be one heck of a year and it is only beginning.
1. Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters just the story. I hope you enjoy. **

**It is a start of a new year and what a year it will be. I hope you enjoy it, this is only the beginning.**

**Beginnings, Endings, and Something in Between**

**January 17, 1990: Matthew and Jennifer Stetson's 2****nd**** Birthday**

Francine walked into Lee's office to remind him of the time by pointing her finger at her watch and then running it across her throat to indicate his immanent death if he didn't leave the office at that moment. He pointed to the phone with an exasperated look on his face. He had been trying to get out of the office for 48 hours. Finally, shouting into the phone with fluent Italian he slammed the phone down and looked at Francine and said, "For the next 24 hours this is your problem; that is with only a death threat to the President."

"I know, Lee, it will be fine. Now you need to get home before you find yourself divorced. Tell Amanda that we will be by this weekend to bring our presents and see the twins." With that she threw Lee his jacket and as he walked out the door she walked over and tossed him his car keys.

Thirty minutes later he was running into the kitchen through the back door hoping that he hadn't missed much. The only thing he seemed to accomplish was making the two teenagers in the kitchen jump four feet off the ground and two feet apart. Stopping in his tracks long enough to realize that it wasn't the two teenagers he would expect he would find he said, "We will talk about this later, where is Amanda?"

Philip looked at his Dad and said, "Mom is changing the twins and muttering something about needing a new section chief at work."

Nodding his head as he began to loosen his tie he went toward the stairs saying in as cheerful voice as he could, "Amanda, I'm here what do you need help with?"

Amanda met him at the top of the stairs and said, "I need for you to be here when you say you are going to be here and call if you aren't going to be. Since you went into the office, for just a brief meeting, I have had to deal with 2 two year olds, fighting, one hormonal teenager that thinks I have no idea what it is like to be young and in love, and one teenager that gets testy because he has to run errands for me in the Jeep when his Dad took the cool car. Now I believe that we have just enough time to get you cleaned and changed before people start to arrive."

Lee went to kiss her and if as on cue Jennie started to scream. "Boy, I'm never going to get the timing right on kissing you." Lee went to check on his daughter and found out the nature of why she was crying. Apparently her brother threw his ball at her and hit her in the eye.

"Matthew, you don't hit a girl and you don't hit your sister. Now you go to the time out chair."

"No!" Matt said placing his tiny hands on his waist and he knew that his son looked just like he did when he was standing his own ground. Lee raised his eyebrow at Matt and said, "I said go to your chair young man; if you don't then you don't get any of your presents or cake." Lee pointed to the blue chair in the corner next to his bed and Matt just looked at him and refused to move.

"Matthew Lee Stetson, I said now!" The raised tone in his voice did nothing to help his cause. Lee was at a standoff with a two year old. "Can someone please come and get Jennie for me?" Lee yelled out into the hallway. Amanda walked in and picked Jennie up and noticed her eye. "What happened?"

"He hit her with his ball and he is refusing to go to his time out chair and so I think it is time for him to be reminded of who the parent is around here."

Amanda took Jennie and as they walked from the room Matt went to run after his mother while Lee stopped him with his arm holding him from escaping. "No, Matt, you can't leave until you sit in time out chair for hitting your sister."

"No."

"Yes."

"Big meanie."

"Yes I am the big meanie, but if you hadn't hit your sister than you wouldn't be in big trouble. Now go sit in your chair."

"No!" Matt said as he stomped his foot down and with Lee being on his level looked his Dad in the eyes. Lee could see the tears forming in his sons eyes and his heart began to falter, but he held his own and picked Matt up and placed him in the chair. As Lee sat him down Matt took the opportunity to kick his Dad in the knee making a string of curses escape Lee's mouth.

Dotty and Curt walked in the front door to hear Lee cussing and Matt screaming and Amanda putting an ice pack on Jennie's eye. "Oh, dear, what is going on?"

"Matt hit his sister with his ball and Lee is trying to get him in the time out chair. Doesn't sound like it is going to well for him; would you two like something to drink?"

"Aren't you going to check on them?"

"No, Mother Lee can handle this."

"Mom, Matt can be brutal are you sure you want Dad to handle this alone?" Philip asked.

Amanda turned to look at her oldest child and said, "Lee is a trained federal agent, I think he can handle one two year old." As soon as those words were out of her mouth she heard her youngest son scream at the top of his lungs and bang on his bedroom door.

Amanda went to the stairs to see Lee walk into their bedroom. She went into their room and looked at her husband and said, "Lee is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine our son is just learning a very valuable lesson. I don't respond to temper tantrums. So when he is done screaming and kicking and throwing things he can go to his own party."

"Lee, your serious aren't you? You're going to keep him from his own birthday party?" She was looking at him in disbelief.

"Yes I am. I told you I would handle this and you have to let me. Now please go downstairs and we will hopefully be down in a few minutes."

Amanda walked out unable to believe what she was hearing. Lee walked back to Matt and Jennie's room and sat outside the door. Matt wasn't screaming any longer but he was still banging on the door. As Lee sat there Jamie came out of his room and asked, "How mad is mom at you right now?"

"I am probably on the couch for a while; go on down, Jamie."

Lee opened the door after about five minutes of silence and found Matt sitting in his chair and pouting. Lee walked over and did what Amanda did after she sat them in time out. "Matt, do you know why Daddy wanted you to sit in the time out chair?"

"I was bad boy?"

"No, you are not a bad boy, you hit your sister and Mommy and Daddy can't let you do that. Do you understand?"

He nodded and said, "Jennie cried; sorry."

Lee hugged his son and said, "You tell her you are sorry and give her a kiss and hug; now let's go to your birthday party." Matt grabbed his Dad's hand and they went down the stairs smiling to the guests and Amanda. "I heard you over the room monitor, good move Stetson." She put her arms around her husband and gave him a quick kiss on the lips as Matt walked over to his sister and hugged and kissed her. Jennie hugged her brother back and like everything else the twins did they did it together.

The party was full of laughter as the twins opened their presents and Amanda and Lee both got cake smashed in their face. Katie pushing Philip's face into a bowl of ice cream with Jamie and Brittany snapping photos of all of it. Billy and his wife had even been able to make it.

Katie asked Jamie in a moment of peace, "Hey, I thought Lee said Joe and Carrie were coming."

"Well, you know Joe," was all Jamie said before walking Brittany out as her parents came and picked her up. Jamie asked Brittany's dad if it would be okay if she came over the next day to study for a test. He told him that Lee would be home with them and could bring her home before dinner and her father said that it would be fine as long as Lee or Amanda would be home.


	2. The Last Word

**Part 2**

**The Last Word**

Later that night when the last of the guests left Amanda went into the kitchen to find Jamie, Katie, and Philip sitting at the table playing cards and she went and sat with them asking Katie, "So are you planning on staying the night?"

Laughing she said, "No, my mom is just running late she called when you were out with Mr. Melrose and his wife. She just lost track of time and now her and Mitchell are stuck in traffic. She should be here soon. Where is Lee?"

"He went to take a shower and change his clothes." The foursome sat playing cards and when Amanda heard the doorbell. Philip got up to answer the door and he came back in and said, "Mom, there is a police officer at the door."

"You three stay here." She said as she went to the door. They didn't all three followed her and stood in the kitchen doorway to the front entrance. "Hello, can I help you?"

"Are you Amanda King?"

"I was; I am Amanda Stetson now. What can I do for you officer?"

"Do you know a Joseph and Carrie King?"

A cold feeling went through Amanda and all she could do was nod her head to the young officer in front of her as she said, "Yes that is my ex-husband and his wife, why?" The boys moved closer when they heard their father's name.

"I'm sorry to inform you that earlier tonight in DC a truck hit a patch of ice on DuPont Circle and hit their car. They were both pronounced dead…" Lee was coming down the stairs when heard Amanda screaming and then saw her begin to hit an officer at the door.

"No! No! No! You are lying! It isn't true!" Lee grabbed her and held her close to him taking the hits instead of the police officer, "What is going on?"

"I'm sorry are you her husband?"

"Yes, AMANDA STOP!" Lee shouted to get her attention and to get her to stop hitting him.

"I was just informing your wife that"

"He said Joe and Carrie were dead. It isn't true Lee, tell him he is mistaken; it isn't true. Tell me that my sons didn't just lose their father." Philip and Jamie were standing next to their mother and she pulled them into her arms and wouldn't let them go.

"Amanda, let me talk to the officer and you take the boys in the den. I will be right there. Boys go with your mother." Lee turned from Amanda and began to walk the officer back to his car, explaining who he was and tried to get as much information as possible.

Lee walked back into the den to see Jamie calmly talking on the phone; from what Lee heard he was on the phone with Dotty. Amanda seemed more like his Amanda while she sat consoling Philip as he was crying almost uncontrollable. Katie was sitting in the chair crying but not knowing what to do. Everyone looked at Lee hoping he had a different answer but the look in his eyes told them he didn't.

"Uh, the officer said that it happened about two hours ago. The driver of the truck hit a bad patch of ice and crashed into their car that was parked at a light. The driver wasn't drinking he was just on his way home it seemed and was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. There were two other cars involved and those occupants had some minor injuries. Joe and Carrie never knew what happened; I know that doesn't help in cases like this."

Philip pushed out of his mother's arms and ran from the house without his coat; Katie went to run after him and Jamie got up and said, "Katie, I'll go." He grabbed his coat and Philip's and knew where he would find his brother. He walked to their tree house and climbed the old tattered ladder.

Jamie handed Philip his coat and just sat next to him; neither one said a word to the other. The two boys just sat in the silence of the night, Philip crying and Jamie holding an arm around his brother in comfort. Jamie wasn't sure how long they sat there before Philip said, "Is this real or what? How could the last words I said to him was to just forget he had two children in the first place?"

"You were defending me and you were really mad at him and you wanted him to know it. I didn't say the nicest things to him when I last spoke to him. I told him I hated him."

Philip saw the distant look on his younger brother's face and asked, "Why aren't you crying or upset?"

"I don't know," it was the only answer Jamie had for him. The two sat in the dark treehouse until they heard a car in the driveway and saw Constance and Mitchell getting out of the car.

Jamie stood to leave and thought now was a good time to mention something on his mind, "Don't hurt Katie, Philip; she is my best friend in the world; that is next to you." It was the last thing Jamie said before he climbed down from the treehouse to go back into the house. Katie walked over and put her arms around Jamie and he let her hold him as Lee explained to Constance that the traffic accident she was stuck in was the one that killed the boys' father and step mother. Dotty and Curt were at the kitchen table now with Amanda drinking tea. Philip walked in and looked at Jamie in Katie's arms. Jamie let her go and she and Philip went into the living room and he placed his head on her shoulder and held her hands in his.

"I am so sorry, Philip." Katie whispered.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault." He turned to her and in front of everyone kissed her and then began to cry again. She just placed an arm around him and held his hand. Her heart was breaking for her second family. Amanda hadn't said or done much but cry, Dotty and Curt showed up not long after Jamie had called her. She had talked to Lee and then Dotty made the call to Joe's brother and sister for Amanda. Lee called his office to tell Francine and then called Billy; letting both of them know he would talk to them the next day, but wouldn't be in the office.

Constance told Amanda and Lee that if they needed anything to call her and she would do all she could. She then walked over to her daughter and said, "I know your heart is telling you to stay here and I understand, but sweetie you can come back tomorrow, there is nothing to be done tonight. Okay, Katie, do you understand?" Katie shook her head. She turned to Philip and gave him a tight hug and a small kiss and then went to hug everyone else before she left with her mom and step dad.

It wasn't long after Katie left that Philip stood up and without saying anything went to his room and laid across his bed staring at the ceiling, for how long he didn't know. All he knew was that he couldn't stop the tears and pain he was feeling and before he knew it he was sleeping.

Jamie sat and watched as Lee kept his grandmother company. Jamie watched while Lee took turns holding his mother and his mother in law. He also noticed how Lee would keep looking at him like he was about to break but Jamie just seemed numb. He didn't know how to process it so if he couldn't process it he couldn't respond to the situation. After about two hours, Dotty offered to take the twins with her or at least one of them, "Amanda, you don't know what all you will have to do."

"Mother, Kyle said he would contact the authorities and make the arrangements. Leah was going to contact Carrie's family and then between the two they were going to let me know if I needed to do anything until they got here."

"Amanda, let me help."

"Mother I appreciate it but Lee will be here and it isn't like you won't be here tomorrow anyway. Goodnight Mother; take care of her Curt. I will see you tomorrow." She stood and walked with her mother as Curt and Lee walked behind them. Amanda and Dotty stood at the car holding each other crying until Lee came and took Amanda back into the house and Curt helped Dotty in the car.

Jamie watched as Lee helped his mother up the stairs then went to the phone and dialed the only number he could think of. Barely letting a full ring go through he heard her voice, "Jamie, is that you? How is everyone?"

"Everyone or just Philip; why didn't you tell me, I mean I understand not our parents or anything but this is me Katie."

"I know, I wanted to; but we didn't know how to let anyone know. Philip was worried about how you and Lee would take it, he thought your mom had an idea or at least was getting one. I was worried about my mom because she is a mom and freaks over anything that has to do with me and boys."

"Will she ever allow you to come back over?"

"Yes, but I think my days of staying with Lee are over if she goes out of town. Boy she would freak if she knew that Lee allowed all three of us to sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve."

"I bet she would. She said you could come over tomorrow, but do you still have to go to school?"

"Yeah, but only because I have three tests, but since they are my first three classes she said after I take them that she would let the school know that Lee or Amanda would be allowed to come and sign me out after them as long as I got my assignments from my other classes. She even said that she would explain to the school for you and Philip so Amanda wouldn't have to."

"Great I will tell Mom or Dad in the morning."

"So you never answered my question, how is everyone?"

"Curt just took Grandma home, Dad took Mom upstairs, Philip went up right after you left, and the twins are sleeping blissfully as they should be after all that sugar they had at the party."

Katie noticed he didn't say anything about him. Before she had a chance to call him on it Jamie said, "And before you ask, I don't know what I feel. I know that I should feel something, anger, pain, sadness, something, but Katie I don't and I don't know why. I am not trying to not feel anything, but for the life of me I don't."

"Katie, could you let Brittany know what is going on. It is too late to call her tonight and she was supposed to come over tomorrow to study. Just let her know I will call her when I can tomorrow."

"Sure, Jamie I love you, you know that right?"

"I know and I love you too."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye and Katie thanks for everything."

Jamie hung up the phone and then started to clean the tea cups and kettle. As he was finishing up Lee walked in and came up beside him. He placed his arm around him and said, "Jamie, it is okay to show how you feel."

"Dad, that is just it, right now at this moment, I don't feel anything." Jamie gave Lee a hug and then went to his room and tried to sleep, it didn't happen. He lay there all night, listening to his mother wake from nightmares and Lee comforting her, watching as Philip tossed and turned and then pretended to be asleep as he heard Philip get up and dressed and go down stairs the next morning.

Philip entered the kitchen to find his Uncle Kyle sitting and talking with his mother at the table and his Dad was talking to Francine in the living room with the twins playing with their new toys. Everyone turned to look at him as he walked in and Amanda was the first to talk to him, "Sweetheart, how are you this morning?" She walked and put her arms around him.

"Well, I didn't sleep real well last night. Did you call the school?"

"Constance talked to them for us when she dropped Katie off at school this morning and Katie will be here after she takes some tests."

Philip nodded and walked over to his Uncle and gave him a hug and asked, "Do you know anything more?"

"I have already called and made the arrangements for your dad and your Aunt Leah will be here later today; she had to call Carrie's family and then they are going to let us know about her arrangements. Leah gave them the churches information if they wanted to do the ceremonies at the same time."

"Will they be buried next to each other?"

"Yes, your dad already had that taken care of."

"So, what do we do now? What do you do when your father dies when you are sixteen?"

Everyone looked at Amanda but Philip never made the connection. Amanda just sat and let more tears fall; she couldn't believe she had any left. She stood and asked, "Philip, are you hungry? I can make you something to eat."

"No thanks mom." He walked out the back door and headed to the tree house.

The next week was a blur for the family. Lee was torn between being with his family and wanting to go into hiding at the office, but he knew how much Amanda and the boys needed him. It was a full time job just keeping the twins occupied. Amanda played host to various King relatives and by the end of every night she would just climb the stairs and collapse; waking several times in the night covered in sweat and screaming for Joe. Lee would just pull her close and hold her, silence her apologies, and try to sooth her to sleep.

Philip was quiet but seemed to be dealing with it. It seemed to help him to have Katie and Jamie to talk with. He also would come and talk to his mother privately when he needed more from her. She gave it no matter what he asked of her. If he needed to talk, cry, remember Amanda did what she could and when she couldn't Dotty helped to fill in blanks.

Jamie was another story all together. Lee noticed that he hadn't had any reaction to the events of the past week. He hadn't responded in any way when the officer came to the house. At the visitation he stood at the front of the church, next to the casket never showing his feelings. The funeral he sat next to his brother and mother; holding her hand, never crying. He seemed to be on auto pilot. Lee knew that Jamie was going to crash; he just hoped it happened sooner rather than later.

Two days after the boys returned to school Amanda came down to find Lee stretched out on the floor while the twins used him for a mountain terrain for their cars she said, "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"You needed it."

"Mommy," the twins yelled and ran over to her while Lee slowly pushed himself up off of the floor. "I think I am too old to play on the floor. This is hell getting up."

Amanda laughed and Lee smiled at her. "I am sure glad to hear that. I love your laugh."

"It feels like years instead of days; I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around here lately and I just want you to know how much I have appreciated you being here and helping with the boys and the twins; with mother and I know it couldn't have been easy with all of Joe's family around. Did any of them give you a hard time?"

Lee wasn't about to tell her how many comments he heard when no one was around about how the boys had been overheard calling Lee 'Dad". Lee let it slide because he knew that Joe's family was suffering. "Nope no problems; Amanda I hate to bring it up but we need to get back to our routine as much as possible. We need to go back to work tomorrow or at least I do."

"I know I was planning on it. I want things to go back to normal; well our normal anyhow."

"Oh, I almost forgot while you were asleep a messenger brought a package for you. You aren't hanging out at the train stations again are you because I thought I cured you of that."

"Very funny, Scarecrow, but no; where is it?" He handed her the package and noticed the return address was Joe's but the handwriting was Leah, Joe's sister.

She opened the package and found four plain envelopes inside; one for Amanda, Philip, Jamie, and Lee. The handwriting one the envelopes were Joe's.

"Amanda, what is it?"

"It appears Joe is going to have the last word." She held the envelopes up for him to see.

"Well, I'll be damned."


	3. Three Letters

**Three Letters**

"Leah put a note in here, 'Amanda, I found these the day before the funeral; I had put them in my purse to give you after the funeral but I forgot until I found them when I got home. Since they were technically from Joe I put his address on them. I hope that whatever my baby brother put in these letters will help the boys and you come to terms with Joe's passing. Please keep in touch. Leah'

Amanda handed Lee his letter and she went and put the boys' letters on the kitchen island. While she placed Matt and Jennie at the table for their snack she sat and looked at her envelope. Opening the letter she saw Joe's familiar handwriting and before she even read one word she was crying again.

"Don't cry Mommy." Matt said and reached over and wiped the tears from her she smiled at how much he was like Lee; looks and actions. She hugged him and said, "Oh, Matt, Mommy is fine. Sometimes when a person feels so loved tears come out. Now eat your snack."

_Amanda,_

_First of all I want to tell you I am sorry for all the pain I have ever caused you; during and after our marriage. You really did try to hold us together and I know at the end it was all more for the boys than us. I can never make up for those mistakes, but I will ask you to please forgive me. I can't believe that I am lucky enough to have you in my life for as long as I have. I am so grateful for your friendship and hope for it to continue. I know I have no right to ask but I really do need your help with the boys. I want you to know that I have never and never will forget the precious gift you have given me in Philip and Jamie. I know at the moment I have a lot to make up for with them and I promise I will. This is the last long distance assignment I have and then I plan on opening my own firm so I can still help people, but I can be there for them. I hope it isn't too late._

_Secondly I want to apologize for my reaction and attitude toward your relationship and marriage to Lee. I can tell he really loves you and the boys. I do feel like he stole my family at times. Before I met Carrie I had thought about us trying over again; I soon realized that I wasn't the man that made you light up from within and that hurt. Don't misunderstand me I love and am in love with my wife very much and Carrie is well aware of that. Lee is a good man and from what you and the boys have said the family life was a major step for him. I am glad that he is in your life. I know he will love and protect you and the boys._

_When Jamie told me he hated me and that I wasn't his father anymore it killed me. Then Philip told me to just forget about them all together; I'll tell you I didn't handle it well. I knew it was my fault but my pride let me tell myself it was because if Lee. Carrie told me I could tell myself that all day long but she wasn't. She told me to get over myself and swallow my pride and if I wanted the boys back than I needed to do what they wanted and stop doing things for me where work was concerned. She also told me that night that as much as she wanted children she would put it on hold until I could make things right with the children I already had; if I couldn't then she was scared that history would repeat itself, to tell the truth so was I._

_Amanda you and the boys will always be my family. I just want you to know that when we get back after the New Year things will be different and if the boys want to still call Lee Dad, then I will have to deal with that; I just hope that they will allow me to hold that title again alongside Lee. I love you, Amanda West King Stetson._

_Love, Joe_

Amanda was rereading her letter when the boys and their girlfriends came in from school to see her crying. Philip was at her side and said, "Mom, what is it? What happened now?"

"Nothing has happened really. When your Aunt was cleaning up some of your father's things she found some letters he had written to us and I was just reading mine. You each have one over there on the island whenever you are ready to read them." She pointed to the two envelopes over her shoulder.

Jamie walked over and handed Philip his letter while he placed his inside his back pack and then looked at Brittany and asked, "Do you want something to eat or drink before we begin to study?"

Brittany looked at him in surprised as she said, "Don't you want to read his letter first, Jamie?"

"I will, just not right now. You have to leave soon and we need to study. Do you want that snack now, Mom makes the best cookies." He said as he smiled and winked at her.

She smiled and took the cookies from him and they went in the living room and began to talk about the upcoming test.

Katie sat next to the twins and said, "Hello little Prince and Princess. How are you two today?"

Philip stood and told everyone he would be back in a few minutes. He went to the solitude of the treehouse. He held the letter in his hand and slowly opened it to realize that this was the last conversation his father was ever going to have with him, but he also knew that he depending on what was said in the letter, he could have this conversation as many times as he wanted in his life.

_Philip Joseph King,_

_You have every right to be angry with me and hurt from my actions. I have missed more than the last few events at school, I have missed most of your entire life and in your brother's case and I have missed his entire life. I am not going to make any excuses to you; I have done enough of that. The conversation the other night proved that you are mature enough to handle the truth._

_I know that you know the story of how your mother and I met, but I am not sure you fully understand the story of how we didn't make it. I wanted to make a difference and to help people that couldn't help themselves. Your mother wanted us to have a stable home environment. I just couldn't see that what she wanted was more important than what I was doing. It was easier to stay away only because it hurt so much every time I had to leave you and your brother. Finally it just got to the point that we knew it was time to stop pretending. Your mother and I divorced and she was more understanding than I felt she needed to be. She only asked for child support and said I could visit any time I wanted to see you two._

_I know I will never make father of the year with you and your brother but I want you to know that when Carrie and I get back in January that I am leaving my current position and opening our own firm. That way I can be around more and really try to be the father your mother has always wanted me to be. The father I have wanted to be also. I know I have a lot of trust to rebuild; I just want a chance to prove that._

_I want you to know that I heard you and the reasons you and Jamie want to call Lee Dad; I wish I had an argument for you two but I don't. I can't change the fact that he has given you what I should have been all this time. If that is what you and your brother want then I support you; but saying that I also want you to know that I am going to do everything in my power to earn that title back and hopefully share it with Lee._

_Philip I do want to be involved and share in your victories and failures in life. I want to see you graduate high school, college, and see the man you will be. If it is anything like the one that spoke to me the other night you are well on your way to becoming a better man than I have been. I want you to know how proud of you. It took a lot for you to talk to me the way you did and even though I wasn't happy about the things you said I am proud that you were afraid to say them._

_I remember the first time I held you in my arms after you were born; it was one of the happiest days in my life. Every day after that has been a close second. I love you more than you will ever know and I will make this up to you; even it takes the rest of my life. Nothing but death could keep me from you or your brother ever again; I love you son. _

_Love your Dad,_

_Joseph Allen King_

Philip sat looking at the last sentence; nothing but death he said. Well death is what happened and Philip was coming to terms with it. Talking with his mother helped in so many ways, he forgot that she lost her own father at a young age. He was surprised that his father had even written the letters. He was also glad that his father had the hind sight to write them. He needed to know that his father said it was okay to call Lee Dad. He needed to know that it wasn't his fault that it wasn't him that pushed his father away, but made him want to tie up his business and be there more. He had no reason to not believe his father's words. He even found a peaceful comfort in them, knowing what his father was finally giving up for them meant a lot, even if it wasn't able to happen. Philip climbed down from the tree house that him and his brother and father had built on one of his father's last visits before going to Estocia the last time and went into the house and started on his homework.

Lee walked up and asked, "You okay, Philip?"

"Better than you know, Dad. I am really going to be alright now."

Lee was happy to hear that most of his family was getting on with their lives and it seemed that for Philip and Amanda the letters from Joe helped. His concern was still for Jamie. He Lee realized it was always Jamie that he was worrying about. From the time he started coming around. Jamie was polite in the beginning but after Amanda was shot in California Jamie became distant and Lee was worried about it. Then when everything came out Jamie went with him to his apartment to get some things and Jamie was finally asking him questions about him and his job. That was the day Lee felt they had made major steps in becoming a family and his and Jamie's bond had grown stronger. When the twins were born Lee made sure to let the boys help and be involved as much as they wanted, but he still made sure he made time for both of the boys and especially Jamie. He didn't want Jamie to think that just because the twins were born that he was going to push the boys out because he now had biological children in his life. Jamie admitted that he was worried a little that it would happen but he trusted Lee and Lee kept those promises as much as he could with the nature of his job.

Lee watched as Jamie and the other three sat at the kitchen table talking about homework, school, and the upcoming Valentines dance. He even chuckled when he heard Jamie suggest to Philip to ask for the Corvette again then the four of them could all ride together. Philip said he would ask but he didn't expect lighting to strike twice.

The phone rang and Amanda said, "Lee the phone is for you, it is Constance." Lee and Amanda both looked at Katie who shrugged her shoulders and said, "I didn't do it; whatever it is."

"Hey, Constance what is happening? Yes, she is here why? Let me ask Amanda," Lee placed the phone over his shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Amanda looked at the four teenagers at the table who seemed more interested in Lee's conversation than their homework and then just nodded at Lee.

"That will be fine, how long? Two what? Did you just say months?"

Katie looked between Amanda, Lee and then her three friends. "Two months, I wonder what that is all about." Brittany asked and Katie blushed as she said, "I think I know. This isn't great news."

Katie walked over to Lee and asked if she could talk to her mother, Lee handed her the phone.

"Mom, is this about Italy? Yes, I still feel the same way I did the last three times you asked me. Why did you bring us here if all you were going to do was drag me all over the world? You could have just gotten me a tutor and home schooled me but you said that…what? Are you serious? You are going to let me?"

Lee walked back over and took the phone from her and said to Katie and in to the phone, "We will talk about this when you get here for her tonight." Lee hung the phone up and whispered in Katie's ear, "Do not say a word about this at this time, young lady, or it won't happen; do you understand?" Katie nodded and went back over and as much as the other tried to get the information from her she said nothing; she knew Lee meant what he said.

Brittany's father picked her up about ten minutes later and Lee took the time to talk with the Senator about an upcoming event the Senator would be attending. The Agency was providing the security for the event and Lee wanted to know if the Senator was happy with the work that had been done thus far. The Senator seemed very pleased and couldn't wait for the event. Lee and the Senator spoke for a few more minutes before they left. Lee went back in and began to make dinner while Amanda played with the twins in the living room. Jamie came back in and gathered his books and backpack and then went upstairs to his room. He went to his bed and put away his textbooks and took the letter from his father out. He placed it on his bed and before he read it he changed clothes and then sat back down. He wasn't sure if he wanted to read the letter or not. He was still so mad at his father. He didn't think that a letter from his father was going to make everything okay. Joe's death didn't make things okay. It made his anger at his father worse. While at first he hadn't felt anything those first days, now that everyone was gone and he was getting back into school he was just feeling even madder at his father. He was mad that he was never going to say what he had to say, he was mad at the driver of the truck that took his father and step mother's lives, he was mad at his parents for constantly asking him how he was and he was mad that his anger was causing problems with Brittany. She was his first girlfriend and Joe didn't even know about her. Jamie had only gone on one date with her before the dance and declared she was his girlfriend. Joe knew about the date but never even asked about it the night he told Jamie he couldn't go to the award ceremony. Then Jamie's anger got the better of him and for the first time in his whole life he raised his voice to his father and told him he expected that behavior from him, which if Lee agreed to it he was going to call Lee his Dad and he never wanted to talk to him again. Jamie decided that a letter wasn't really talking to Joe so he could read it.

_James Allen King,_

_Whether or not you like it or agree with it I, Joseph Allen King, am your father. You can't change that fact no matter who you consider or call Dad. Lee may be the man you want to be like but ask him what he was like before your mother; I am sure you will not look at him in the same way. Lee may hold your hero worship now, but if you knew him I mean really knew him I think you would think of him as just another man. No better than me, the man you say that you hate and never want to have anything to do with again. If I sound angry than I want you to understand that I am angry; angry with myself._

_The day you were born the doctor placed you in my arms and I walked over and showed you to Philip. He kissed your head and gave you a hug. I sat for the next hour explaining to him how you were the baby now and he was the big brother, I don't think he liked that too much. I told him how important he was going to be in your life; how you were going to grow up and look up to him._

_I spent the rest of the day holding you and telling you all about me and what I did and how I was doing important things to help other little babies to be able to live and grow up like you were going to. You never took your eyes off of me when I talked. It was like you knew then that we didn't have a lot of time together and you had to get in all in. You and your mother bonded fast and she could always calm you down. It was like you two could read each other's mind._

_Back to the subject at hand, I know how much I have missed and let you down; you more than your brother. It wasn't fair and yet at the same time I can't change what I have done. I can only change how we are beyond this. I want to have a real father/son relationship with you; one where you feel comfortable to come to me for anything. I know you are thinking that you have Lee for that and I am grateful for that. You are at an age where you're going to need more than your mother for advice; Lee will provide it and so will I if you let me._

_Carrie and I will be finishing our last case for our jobs. When we get back and turn everything over to the new lawyers we are going to open our own law firm. We want to be able to still help others; more importantly I want to be able to get the chance to be closer to you and your brother. I will do whatever I have to make you understand what you mean to me._

_I have another confession to make. Hopefully by letting you know this you will understand why I did what I did and why I am making the changes I am making. I saw your photo essay and read the speech that you wrote to go with it. When I first saw it I didn't understand and I was angry. I blamed Lee for turning my family against me; Carrie helped me to realize that Lee didn't do anything but pick up the pieces I left in my goal to save the world. She told me that you probably only asked me to go out of obligation; it was obvious that night wasn't for you and me. I thought if I called then I would be giving you an easy out and you could go with Lee. The man you consider your Dad. I plan on working on regaining your trust and I hope I do. If calling Lee Dad is what you need then I support you; your happiness is all that has ever mattered to me._

_I hope you give me that second chance, the chance I know I do not deserve but sincerely hope I get. I love you Jamie, please let me be your father again._

_Love your Dad, Joseph Allen King_

Jamie's breathing became harder and harder the more he read. The events since Christmas Eve began to rise to the surface and he let it out. He screamed so loud and hard that it scared everyone in the house and they all came running. Lee ran into the room a split second before Amanda.

Lee and Amanda both tried to calm him down but he couldn't be consoled. He just wanted to hit something and if the wall was any indication before they got to him his hand was probably broken. He tried to push Amanda away but she held on. Telling him it was going to be okay and that he still had her, Philip, and everyone else that loved him. She tried to let him know that Joe was accepting his punishment and was planning on fixing it with everyone.

"Not with everyone, I bet." He looked at Lee and Lee felt about three inches tall. Jamie hadn't looked at him like that in over two years. His heart sank thinking that his son was in this much pain and it was more than likely his fault.

"Did you read your letter? Did he hate you for loving us?" Jamie asked and Lee realized that Jamie was worried about his feelings.

"No, Jamie he didn't hate me. I haven't read my letter but I did have a conversation with Joe when all of this started and we worked out a lot of issues we both had with each other. Your father and I were all good before the New Year. He even told me some of the plans he was hoping to do with you and your brother to help make things better. I never said anything because he asked me to wait until he and Carrie got back; that is why I asked him to come to the twins birthday party and he said he couldn't wait."

Jamie knew that Lee was a good liar when he needed to be, but Jamie was able to read his eyes and knew Lee was telling the truth. Jamie continued to finally feel all the emotions he had held in; Amanda had everyone go back down stairs and she stayed with him, just as she had done when Philip needed her.

"What hurt more when he first left or when he agreed to the divorce?"

"When he left the first time because that meant we still had hope of making it. Hope is a two way street Jamie, it can lift you up or it can tear you down."

"Do you think the same thing will happen with Lee? I mean the work he does is just as important as what Dad did. Could it tear you apart?"

Amanda thought carefully, "You never know what the future holds. I never thought I would do what I do for a living, but I don't think so. Lee and I have been through more than a couple of fifty years have. It is like you said before, Lee and I fight but we come home at the end of the day. Some days in this business are just a little longer than most."

"Do you two miss being in the field?"

"I thought Lee would but he seems to be excelling at Section Chief. I'm not really completely out of the field. I still do work in the field, plus I get to help train the new agents and that is always interesting. Plus being Lee's assistant, I think I get hazard pay bonuses." Amanda and Jamie both laughed at that.

Katie came and knocked on the door and she quietly told that Lee said dinner was ready and that her parents were there too and wanted to talk to Amanda of it was a good time. She looked at her son and asked, "Jamie is it a good time?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of hungry and I'm sorry if I scared you guys; it just all came out after his letter."

"Well, then I need to know have you made peace with your father?"

"Yes, now let's go see what Dad made for dinner."


	4. International Affairs

**International Affairs**

Amanda sat at Lee's desk trying to find the top of it. She thought that with all the time he had taken off to be with the family that Francine would have found at least the corner. "Francine, how did you work in here with this?"

"Amanda, do I look like I want to take on a mission of death? You know you have been the only person to ever make sense out of his system. If YOU can't find something than in all reality Lee doesn't have it or he has it with him. What are you looking for?"

"The Milan file; it has two folders and I only have one."

Francine looked at her with a look of curiosity, "What is the Milan file?"

"It is something Lee said he started right before the twin's birthday; that is why he was stuck in the office for two days before you could get him to come home. He even worked on it during the week of Joe's funeral; he thought I never noticed him calling the Agency daily and making late night calls."

"I know the calls to here were just daily checks of briefings. I kept telling him that between me and Billy we had it all taken care of but he needed to be sure. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on here; Lee never asked about anything from Milan though."

"No he hasn't talked about this a lot so naturally I want to know what he is up to before he does something crazy; like go out in the field."

Billy and Lee came in and Lee raised his eyebrows as he noticed Amanda at his desk and he asked her, "Amanda what are you doing to my desk?"

"I am doing nothing to your desk; your files on the other hand I am trying to organize."

"Well, stop it, will you. You know I can't find thing when you move them around, I have a system."

Moving away from his desk she waved her hand over the mountain of files and said, "By all means figure it out." She sat down and as Lee took his seat and Billy took one Lee looked at the massive pile in front of him and moved three folders and held up what he was looking for.

"See right here; Billy this is what we have so far, which isn't a lot. I got a call from Agent Giovanni a few weeks ago and he wanted to know if we had heard about any connections to some missing teenage girls. I told him that was a matter for local enforcement or the FBI. He told me he thought that a human trafficking ring was taking the girls and were either being sold for money or just traded out right for guns and drugs."

"What did he want from us? Like you said this is usually a matter for the FBI not us."

"At first I wasn't sure what we could even do but then last week Constance asked Amanda and me to keep an eye on Katie because she had to go to Milan for two months. Still not thinking anything about it, when got home last night Constance called to talk with Katie but before she did she told me that her factory there caught fire. It was small and not a lot was harmed; except for her computer and some files in her office. Something began bothering me when she told me that. I looked over my file I had at home and in a sideline notation that Agent Giovanni sent me I kept seeing the word 'fires'. Two other fires happened within the four months; same thing with small fires in the office, computer damage and paper files burnt."

"Do you think the fires, factories and girls are connected, Scarecrow?" Billy asked.

"Yeah I do I just don't know how yet. That is why I was wondering if you could allow me to send a team over to do our own investigation and see what we come up with. If we can't make a connection or be able to help Agent Giovanni then they come home and we get back to what we do here."

"I don't have a problem with that but put a limit on time for this; if your team gets there and find it warrants our time then have them bust it open, if not bring them home and try to help stateside. If he thinks the girls are leaving here maybe we can help more form here. Your team will know where we will best be able to help when we get there. Who were you planning on sending?"

Lee looked over at the petite blond sitting on the couch next to his wife and Francine said, "Me?"

"Yes, Francine I want to send you. You are one of the best agents in this whole building. You know the language, the landscapes, and you have a dozen Italian contacts that would do anything for you at the drop of a hat. I need you on this." He was practically begging her; Lee thought she would have jumped at the chance to go to Milan.

"Sure I have no problem with that; I'll need a copy of the files and who are you sending with me?"

"You can choose your own team; no more than three other agents with you. Just give me the names of the agents you will be taking and then have your team ready to leave in the morning. Now I have about three meetings of my own to get ready for if you will excuse me."

The next few hours were a busy time for Amanda. On top of helping Lee reorganize his notes for his meetings she also set up the transportation agenda for Francine and her team. At around four in the afternoon she realized the time and that Lee wasn't back from his last meeting with Billy and the President. Francine came into the bull pen and stopped by Amanda's desk and asked if Lee and Billy were back yet. Amanda told her no and suggested that she go home and let her husband know how much Francine was going to miss him while she was gone.

"You do have an early flight tomorrow; it leaves at five in the morning, go home and spend time with Effraim. You two don't see enough of each other anyway."

Laughing Francine said "This from a woman who literally makes an appointment to see her husband at home."

Amanda laughed and said, "I know but just because we see them every day doesn't mean that they are seeing us. You need time together where the rest of the world isn't involved. Francine, why didn't you ask Effraim to go with you on the assignment?"

Francine looked down and Amanda saw her blush some as she said, "Because of the agent I am going to be working with. Agent Giovanni and I had an affair a few years ago."

"Francine you were two consenting adults nothing to be ashamed of. I am sure your husband knows that you have a past; just like I am sure he has, and that Lee and I had. This isn't going to be weird for you will it? I mean I have never seen you anything but professional."

"Thanks Amanda but no Effraim doesn't know about this part of my past. Amanda I don't mean just an affair, I mean I was the other woman. It was a real affair. He is married and as far as I know he still is; not that anything is going to happen, I love my husband; but next to my husband and Jonathon he really did a number on me."

"I see, are you sure you want to do this assignment Francine?"

"Why wouldn't she; my wife is the best at what she does?" Effraim walked up and said.

"Well, um, because. . ."

"Because I don't know how long this case will be and surprisingly I kind of like hanging out with my husband." Francine said reaching for his hand.

"Of course you do; why wouldn't you?" Effraim emphasized his point by leaning in and giving his wife a kiss. "Francine you ready? Did you see Lee?"

"Not yet, uh Amanda can you give this report to Lee."

"Sure and here is the flight information and case packet for you and your team to go over on the plane. Francine," Amanda said so only Francine could hear, "if you need anything at all just call me, day or night okay."

Francine smiled and said "Thanks Amanda I know please just make sure Lee gets that file report."

Amanda watched Francine and Effraim walk from the bull pen and she went back to work when Lee snuck up on her an hour later she jumped and he laughed at her.

"Okay, anything that looks like it could be a major disaster on the horizon or will I get to see our family tonight?"

"You have four messages and Francine dropped this file off and Mother called and wanted to know if she should keep the twins or met us at the house."

"I think meeting us should be fine; besides we have the Corvette today, no car seats in that one. Just let me do a few things and then we can leave. Can you go down to Crypto and see if they have found out anything on Jenson's drop from the pizza place."

"Sure I'll just be right back." Amanda turned and left the office as Lee opened the folder from Francine. It was just a simple surveillance on a new recruit and it looked like Lee was going to have the pleasure of explaining the right and wrong times to be in a strip club when you're assigned to a visiting dignitary. 'Was I ever this ass backwards as a rookie' he thought as he called for the rookie in question to come into his office.

Amanda came back to see a young man of about twenty-two practically running out of Lee's office looking well and good embarrassed about something. Almost immediately she saw her husband walk out of his office, lock the door, and whistling.

"You're way to happy, Stetson, does the guy still have a job?"

"For now he does now let's say we bust out of here." Amanda just nodded and took her purse from the drawer and then left with Lee still laughing as he explained the situation to his wife.

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

It had been two weeks since Francine had left and as beautiful as her surroundings she was beginning to see a clearer picture of the situation and she hoped she was wrong. When she and the other agents arrived they were met by Agent Anthony Giovanni and taken to their hotel and then right to the investigator headquarters. She was told that all the owners of the factories were being watched around the clock. Francine began to inquire as his theory of the ring.

"Agent Desmond,"

"Beaman," she corrected and showed her wedding band set on her hand.

"You're married now I was unaware congratulations. As I was saying we feel like there is only one leader who is profiting from this operation. From what we understand but can't seem to confirm, is that he handpicks the girls and then his men bring them in. From there it looks like they may have been held in the burnt factories being moved between them, until they are either sold or traded."

"How do the fires fit into all of this?"

"We think that evidence was being held on the computers and in the files that burnt in the fires. The only person that doesn't really fit in all this is Constance Rainer; she hasn't been to this factory for over a year until about a month ago; she came in to do some annual clean-up as she calls it. Word is that she wants to close the factory. She said that the orders coming from this factory was well below where her quality and standards were set. She told us that she came to look at the books, computer records, financials, just about everything but the kitchen sink. She was here a week when the fire happened; she was at the factory and almost died from smoke inhalation, she was lucky her husband was with her, he called it in and found her."

"That doesn't really surprise me; he was her bodyguard for a number of years before they married. I know her through mutual friends." She explained further as he gave her a curious look at the statement.

"Where do you want to start?"

"At the beginning, where was the first fire."

For the next two weeks Francine and her team visited every factory that had a fire and spoke to every person from the original investigations and with the help of some of her contacts a few that Agent Giovanni hadn't talked with. She seemed to be closing in on something or someone; the only problem with that was a soon as she seemed to have it figured out it vanished.

Frustrated she went back to her hotel after talking to a contact and getting nowhere she walked in and saw the room lit with candles and rose petals spread out on the bed and she thought for a minute that Effraim had come to surprised her, only to find Anthony standing on her balcony holding a glass of wine out to her.

"Tony, how did you get in here?" This was the last thing she needed.

"Francine, you have been here for two weeks and we haven't had any time alone together; so I thought I would make the time." He said as he moved closer to her. She got a funny feeling in her stomach as he moved closer to her.

"Tony, I don't think that this a very good idea. I am not the same woman you knew a few years ago. I admit I may not apologize for our affair, but I do regret it and do not have any plans on starting it back up." She turned to walk to the door to open it for him and he said, "I miss you, Francine."

Stopping just shy of the door she turned on him and let her anger unleashed on him, "Missed me?! You expect me to believe that after all these years you have changed and that you have been in Italy pinning away and waiting for me? It wasn't like when I knew you I was undercover; you've known where I have been all these years. If things really had changed and your wife wasn't in the picture why then haven't you contacted me in all this time?"

He crossed the room and placed his hands on her face and began to kiss her. She resisted the kiss and when he continued she pushed him away from her. She saw her lipstick on his face and she told him, "You better wash your face before you go home to your wife." She then opened the door and before Tony could walk out Effraim walked in. He saw the room, the bed, the wine, the man in his wife's room with lipstick on his face and before Francine could say anything he walked over to the man and said, "I think you need to leave on your own now Agent Giovanni before I help you leave out the window. Also, unless it deals directly to this case stay the hell away from my wife." Effraim was fuming and as tony left the room he began to pace and Francine became worried. She had never in all her years ever seen Effraim as mad as he was at that very moment.

"Effraim, he was here when I got back; I thought it was you when I first saw the room."

"I heard you; I heard what you said. Is that what I have been to you a substitute for him or Jonathon these past two years? I really didn't think we had any secretes between us."

Francine sat on the bed and she was really worried that she would lose her husband. "This was the only one, you knew about Jonathon. I haven't always been proud of some of the things I have had to do for this job, but when I met Tony I wasn't on a job. I was just Francine Desmond and he was just Tony Giovanni. We met a party and it wasn't long after Jonathon had left me." Her tears burned her eyes and she tried to stop them but she couldn't. The more she explained the harder she cried; she was certain that it was more for the pain in his eyes than reliving the affair.

"I was lonely and feeling pretty worthless and he was handsome, sweet, and seemed to understand. He told me he had just gotten out of a pretty long term relationship and one date led to another and another and then when I was pretty secure that things were moving along I saw him out with his wife and son. When he saw me he introduced me to her as a visiting agent on assignment; an extremely classified assignment. She seemed really sweet and didn't question his explanation and then he came to see me that night. He thought it was great that I didn't react when I saw her; he told me that was what made us so great together. I was so mad but I still couldn't stop what we were doing and then I was told it was time to come back and that is all. I left Milan a week after that and have really tried to avoid coming here since."

"You never answered my question, Francine, am I just a substitute for the ones that got away; your consolation prize; the one you accepted because you knew I was a sure thing?"

His words were worse than if he had slapped her across the face, "No, you were never a consolation prize; not once, not ever. You at first were the last thing I ever wanted and then you stopped trying so hard and I found myself missing you being around. I missed you hitting on me and then I heard a rumor about you and that Roxanne being in the copier room."

"What were you surprised that a woman found me attractive?"

"No, I was surprised that you found her attractive. I was jealous okay. There I said it, I know it sounds strange but at the time all I knew then was that I didn't want you but I didn't want you with anyone else. I know that sounds crazy but that is what I was feeling. How was I going to tell you that and not sound crazy?"

"I don't know but I wish you would have told me; I would have waited until you didn't sound crazy."

"I know you would have but I wasn't going to ask you to wait for me to figure my life out. That wasn't fair to you. What made you back off any way?"

"Amanda; she told me that maybe I was trying too hard. If I wanted you to notice me she said maybe I had to let you find me; if I wasn't always there then you had to make the effort."

Francine laughed and said, "Leave it to Amanda and her way of thinking. She was right you know I did start looking for you. Did you do this to the room for an early Valentine's present?" She moved her hand over the room and he just nodded.

"I asked Agent Giovanni to help me surprise you by keeping you away from here as long as he could. I had the hotel staff set things up for me when they cleaned your room and then I waited for you to come back. Good things I like long books to read. I must have been in the garden when he came up because I never saw him, but I did see you. I thought I would give you a few minutes to take in the room and then I was going to surprise you."

"That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you Effraim Beaman, I love you so much. Am I forgiven?"

"Do you have any more secrets, Mrs. Beaman?" He asked as he knelt in front of her. She shook her head no and he leaned in and before he kissed her he said, "Then all is forgiven." Later as Francine slept Effraim called Lee at and told him that he would be staying on until Francine was done and he hung the phone up before Lee could protest. His wife was his concern and he wasn't leaving her.

**Valentine's Dance in Arlington**

Two days after Lee spoke to Effraim he was sitting in his office when the phone rang, "Stetson, here."

"Lee, I was hoping you were still there; you promised the kids they could use the Corvette for the dance and you took it with you, they have to leave in an hour."

"Damn, I forgot. I was just going over double checking something and waiting for Francine's check in. She was going to try and have Effraim make contact with the seller's contact. She seems to closing in. I will have any calls from Francine transferred to the house; if she calls before I get there you know the drill, take the information and relay it to me when I get there. I'm on my way to bring the car to the kids, but I may have to come back in."

"Okay, just be careful and we will see you in about twenty minutes. I love you."

"I love you too, see you soon." He hung the phone up and left the office with instructions for any calls from Francine or anyone from her team to be transferred to his house.

"Okay, fellas, your Dad will be here in twenty minutes to trade vehicles. You two look great, where is Katie at, I thought she was almost done."

Philip said, "She is upstairs; I thought she was ready too, I guess not."

Amanda went upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door, "Katie, Lee will be here in a few minutes are you ready or do you need any help?"

Katie opened the door and said, "No, I'm ready, let's go downstairs."

The two went downstairs and Philip walked over and gave Katie her flowers and then a corsage; he leaned close to her and gave her a tiny kiss, "Dad is on his way then the four of us can leave."

Blushing she said, "Okay Philip; Brittany your dress is so pretty where did you get it?"

The two teenage girls talked and Amanda took pictures while waiting for Lee to get home. Philip and Jamie just rolled their eyes and sat to wait for their Dad.

Lee walked in and the boys seemed excited to leave. Lee handed Philip the keys and then told the girls how lovely they looked and kissed each of their hand. His gave his speech on how to act, not to fight, and be back at a reasonable time. "Most importantly you four have fun."

"We will Dad and don't worry I'll drive carefully." Amanda and Lee watched as they drove out of the driveway and then went back in. Amanda asked if he had time to eat with her and the twins before heading back in. "I sure do. I had calls to be redirected here, so I have time for dinner and even some family time."

"I like the sound of that." Together they began to make dinner when the twins came in from playing outside in the yard, getting excited as always when they saw their Dad. The phone ringing interrupted paly time for a minute. Lee raised his finger to let them know to hang on, "Hello. Oh, hi, no you just missed them. She looked great. Yes, I am sure that Amanda took lots of pictures for you when you get home in a few weeks. How is everything going there are you making progress in getting your files back in order? Okay, I see, well, she is just doing her job. Francine is just trying to help, let her do her job okay? Okay, I'll talk to you later; bye, yeah me too."

"I take it Constance doesn't like Francine poking into her files?"

"No, she doesn't at all. She said she is having a hell of a time getting her files back in order. Her assistant here faxed her over the records she had on file here but they aren't matching so Francine made a copy and is trying to make sense out of it and no Constance is resisting the help."

Thirty minutes later Lee answered the phone to hear Philip screaming, "She's gone, Dad. We can't find her anywhere."

Lee looked at Amanda as he asked, "Who can't you find Philip?"

"Katie."


	5. The Abduction of Katie Amille

**The Abduction of Katie Amille**

The four teenagers left as the two adults watched from the driveway. Jamie and his girlfriend sat in the back of the Corvette while his older brother, Philip and Philip's girlfriend sat in the front. Jamie still couldn't believe how much their Dad, Lee Stetson, trusted Philip with the Corvette. Jamie knew that before the twins came along this car was Lee's baby.

"I still can't believe that Dad lets you drive this car. It is just a good thing you are a decent driver."

"It surprised me the first time too, I'm just glad he let me again. I think it also helps that we only live fifteen minutes from the school."

Brittany sat next to Jamie and laced her fingers through his and leaned in to kiss him. "Speaking of trust I have a question; my Dad and Mom doesn't even leave me and Jamie alone in a room while we study at my house and I can't even come over unless an adult is at the house. So my question is how do you get away with being left alone in the house all the time; don't your parents sometimes work all night editing and filming on locations? Don't they think that with you two lovebirds alone you're going to do things you shouldn't?"

Katie looked at Philip and just blushed and said, "Brittany, not many people know that when I first met Lee that there was a question if he was my biological father or not. He was working in New York that summer and we spent time together on the chance he was my father. I came to really respect Lee and then I got to know his wife and the guys here. I told my mother I wanted to live closer to him and his family. My Mom wasn't too sure about it but my step father told her it would be a great opportunity to be closer; ya know just in case Lee was my father. Lee turned out not to be my father but he and Amanda still allowed me to be a part of their family. I would never do anything to break the allowance they have trusted Philip and myself with; besides I don't plan on having sex with anyone until I get married."

Philip was parking the car and hit the brakes a little harder than he had intended when he heard what Katie had said about not having sex with anyone until she was married. Not that he was ready to become sexual but he at least thought they would have talked about this at some point in private, not in a Corvette that Lee could have bugged if he wanted.

"Let's go in, guys." Philip got out and held the door open for his brother to get out from behind his seat and then the two walked over and held the door open for the girls to get out. Taking their hands they walked up to the building when Katie realized she forgot her ticket in the car.

"Go on ahead you three and get us a good table to sit at in between dances, I just forgot my ticket; I will be right there. Philip, can I have the keys to unlock the door?"

"You want me to go with you?" He asked as he put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Nice try, King, but I can get a ticket; it will take like two minutes."

"Okay, here remember to lock it back up; Dad will kill me if anything happens to his car."

"I know, now go on in, I will be right back." Philip grabbed her hand and pulled him back to her before she went two steps. "What," she asked. "Just this," He kissed her and held her close, "hurry up."

She just smiled as she walked away toward the silver Corvette. She opened the door and leaned in to get her ticket; as she stood up to lock the door back she felt a pain in the back of her head, felt the keys and ticket slip from her hand just as everything went black.

Ten minutes later Jamie, Brittany, and Philip were sitting at a table wondering where Katie was when an announcement came over the sound system about a pair of keys found in the parking lot next to a silver Corvette. The boys got a worried look in their eyes and as Philip ran to the parking lot Jamie went to get the keys and saw that they were in fact Lee's car keys. He took the keys and told Brittany to find the principal and start looking everywhere for Katie.

Jamie ran into Philip as he was coming back in the building and Philip just held up the ticket he found and shook his head, "She wasn't there."

"I think we better call Mom and Dad, it was his keys." Jamie said as he held them up to show Philip.

"Okay, I'll call you keep looking for her."

Lee answered the phone to hear Philip screaming, "She's gone, Dad. We can't find her anywhere."

Lee looked at Amanda as he asked, "Who can't you find Philip?"

"Katie."

"Stay there we are on our way. Amanda come on get the twins in the Jeep, we have to get to the dance; Katie is missing."

On the short drive Amanda asked, "Lee they have only been gone thirty minutes. What could have happened?"

"I don't know but we will find out."

Jamie was waiting for them by the Corvette when they arrived and began to explain, "We were going in and Katie said she forgot her ticket, Philip gave her the keys, she told us to go find a table and then about ten minutes later there was an announcement about finding a set of keys next to your car; Dad yours is the only silver Corvette here. I went to see if it was your keys and Philip came out here. He found her ticket by the car and we looked everywhere while Philip called you. She is nowhere; does this have anything to do with your job?"

Lee looked over to Amanda and said, "I sure as hell hope not. We need to talk to the Principal before we do anything else. Is Brittany okay?"

"Yeah she is in the building; Principal Green isn't letting anyone out."

"Yeah, then how did you get out?"

Katie opened her eyes. She was shivering, cold, and she her legs and hands were tied behind her. She tried to sit up but she couldn't. She began to cry and try to scream but the duct tape over her mouth made that impossible. Tears began to fall rapidly down her face as she realized that she had been kidnapped and no one knew where she was. Her mind started to think of all the things she had read about girls that were kidnapped and she began to panic. Her body slammed into the side of the van as it made a sharp turn and she felt a pain run down her side. The pain made her remember something Lee had told her.

"_Aren't you ever scared doing this job; I mean you could die."_

_Lee looked at the hazel eyes of the girl next to him on top of the Farris Wheel and said, "I get scared all the time. The trick is to not let the bad guy know you're scared. Fear is power and if you don't show fear they have no power over you."_

She thought to herself 'okay Katie show no fear and think.' She began to think about who, what, where, when, and how of it all. The how she knew; the pain in her head told her someone hit her pretty hard. The where wasn't into account yet because she was still in a van so she knew she wasn't at her destination, the what had to be money; her mother had tons of it and would give it all to anyone that wanted it to get her back, the who could be anyone with an axe to grind with her father, Conrad Amille, but he had been dead over two years.

The van came to a stop and she felt the fear stronger but she tried not to show it. Give them no power over you she told herself. The back of the van door opened and her captor reached in and untied the knot that held her hands and feet together and picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Katie began to struggle but his grip was too tight for her to escape. He kept walking and Katie noticed the lights of the city; she could see the monuments lit up in the darkness. She was still in DC at a warehouse.

The man threw her on to a bed and untied her. She began to hit the man but he only laughed and said in a very gruff voice, "That's it they like it when you fight; they love that fire." He ripped the tape from her mouth and she tried to scream but stopped when he kissed her harshly and flung her down. He turned and walked from the room.

Katie began to pace around the small room; not that there were much to look at or pace around. The room itself was no bigger than a jail cell. It had a door that looked out into the hallway, windows with bars on them, a cot for a bed and Katie could only assume the tiny hole in the corner was her bathroom. Rubbing her arms to try and warm them wasn't doing any good. The room was cold and it didn't help that the window was broken so the cold February night air was easily coming in and filling the room.

She tried to think what the man meant by 'they like it when you fight' who likes it? He had kissed her and that made her think that he was going to do more. She wouldn't let him. She would die before she would let him rape her. She knew that Philip was surprised that she announced her choice to wait until marriage to have sex; but she also knew that if anyone could change her mind it was Philip King, she just wasn't going to tell him that.

Staying at Lee and Amanda's house the past month while her mom was gone had been interesting. In the two years she had lived in Arlington and stayed at the house before her and Philip began dating it was like just visiting at an Aunt's house with your cousins. The three had hung out playing video games, she would watch them at the skateboard park, and they helped each other with homework. Then after about a year she began to think and like Philip in a different way and she did a really good job at hiding it. She had to he was always changing girlfriends and she didn't really want her first boyfriend for only a week and on top of that she knew that if she was just a week long girlfriend than after that week she would still have to see him.

When his father died and he kissed her in front of everyone she was so worried what her mother would do. She was allowed to continue to go over after school and baby sit if Amanda needed her too, but her mother as well as Lee and Amanda had also made rules for them to follow and hoped they wouldn't break their trust. She and Philip hadn't broken any of the rules that were put in front of them, but at the same time they were teenagers and teenagers do get carried away at times.

They have had some pretty heavy kissing sessions and a few times she had allowed Philip to 'get to second base', but only through her clothes. Those were the times that her body was over riding her brain, but Philip always stopped himself before asking for more. He didn't seem ready for anything more yet either.

The last month being around each other on an everyday basis of home life and school life with her boyfriend wasn't all that different than when they weren't dating. She thought the fact that being friends for so long first helped. They were together, they still had their clubs and sports, and it only just starting to get hard; it seemed their friends thought that Philip and she were sleeping together. They were both getting tired of telling people they weren't sleeping together. If they knew the real Lee Stetson and what he did for a living they wouldn't think that.

Lee wasn't her biological father, she remembered when the test results they had done had come. She was so excited; she was sure that this man she looked and acted like was her real father and he seemed okay with it. She read the results and her mother said that the only thing that mattered on the paper was the sentence at the bottom that said there were no biological possibility that the person in question could be her father. She was so disappointed that she cried for a week solid. Lee had called her the night he had gotten his letter and told her that it didn't matter what that stupid test said and if she ever needed him for anything, he would be there for her. She was worried about what Amanda would think about that, she was carrying his twins at the time and then he put Amanda on the phone. The two of them talked about an hour while Amanda assured her that she was a part of their family, biologically or not.

Katie sat on the bed and as the cold began to take her over and she placed the itchy blanket over her and lay down. She went from being scared to being frighten to being terrified. She didn't know what was going to happen to her.

Lee paced the office as Amanda watched the video surveillance tape of the parking lot. Lee watched as Katie walked away from Philip and toward the car. He could also tell from the kiss that Philip had just given her that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings; she didn't see the van next to the car.

He was behind her while she was bent into the car, Lee watched as the man hit her as she shut the door of the Corvette. Her body went limp and the man picked her up and went to the back of the van. The van stayed in the parking lot for about three more minutes and Lee assumed that the man was restraining her. He watched the man get into the driver seat and calmly drive away. Lee ran his hand through his hair and down his face and said, "I am going to kill that bastard."

"Lee we have to stay calm or we aren't going to do Katie any good." Principal Green came in with the police and Lee showed his badge and brought the police up to date on what had happened and thought that it had to do with Lee's case in Milan.

"I will be taking point chief, I know we have already spoken on this topic but Katie is the first girl from Arlington that may be tied in and if it turns out she isn't involved in my case then I will turn it over to you and your men."

"Lee, I just got off the phone and I have agents at the airport, bus station, and notified any taxi companies to be on the alert. Chief we need you and your men to be on the lookout for this van and tag number, probably stolen or false tags but never the less it is all we have from here." Amanda said forgetting that Philip and Jamie were sitting in the next room with their brother and sister. They knew for the last two years that their mother was a federal agent, but they had never her sound so official before.

Jamie looked at Philip and said, "Don't worry they will find her."

"I'm not worried that they are going to find her; I'm worried about what they are going to find when they do. They don't know it but I heard Dad talking to Francine the other night when I got home from my game, Dad is working with the Milan government to help bust a human trafficking ring. Men from here are kidnapping young girls and selling them to the highest bidder. Dad told Mom that he was told that after the girls are taken then they are drugged so they can't fight the men that are buying them. Some of them are sold for large drug shipments, some for guns, and others just for money."

Jamie mind started racing when Philip told him all of that. This is what his parents do every day, he knew that, but he also knew that they didn't always get the bad guys in time or even at all in some cases. His biggest fear when he left home that night was what would happen if his brother did any damage to his Dad's precious car; he never thought what would happen if something happened to someone his Dad loved and cared about.

The man came back in the room and Katie stood up and pushed her fear to the back of her mind. "You look very pretty tonight," he told her. "That helps, and then I don't have to dress you up for the buyer. You are even prettier than the photos I have of you. I was surprised at how long it has taken for you to be chosen. It was just a shame that I couldn't get both of you tonight. You will be staying here for a couple of days until the police decide you have just run away so might want to eat something. I wouldn't want you to get sick. The buyers like healthy merchandise." He set the tray of fruit and bread down on a small table he brought with him. "I'll be back later, now eat."

He left the room and as hungry as Katie was she refused to eat; she was afraid he may have put something in the food. He came back to find that she hadn't eaten anything and told her she would eventually; he said that they all did eventually. He left her alone again and she curled into a ball on the bed and cried; she also prayed for someone to find her.

Two days later a young patrol officer in DC was driving his route in the start of the warehouse district when he saw a van parked next to an old shoe warehouse. He knew that this warehouse was abandoned and figured he would just find some squatters getting shelter from the cool nights of February. When he pulled up he didn't see or hear anything but he ran the plates to see if they were registered. He waited next to his car while dispatch ran the plates; when dispatch told him that the van was used in a kidnapping attached to a federal case he gave his location and asked for back up.

Arriving on the scene five minutes after the call for back up, Lee, Amanda, and the local police found the young officer shot and killed and the only sign that Katie ad been there was a hair clip that Amanda had gotten her for the dance. "Damn it, she was here all along Amanda. Come on the van couldn't have gotten far, let's go."

Lee and Amanda took off to try and find the van that they had only missed by a few minutes. Lee knew they couldn't have gotten far. Where would they go? He tried to think but he knew there were a million places that she could have been taken to. Calling Constance two days ago was difficult but what seemed harder was that the Italian government wasn't allowing her to leave and Francine was doing all she could from there.

Katie was shoved into the van and cuffed to the side of the van wall. She saw that man shoot that officer. She knew how close to being found and now she began to resolve to the fact that she wasn't going to be found. She was going to be sold and then who knew what was going to happen to her. She had to get away, she wasn't going to let that happen and if her mother wanted her to have bodyguards again she wouldn't fight it this time. She just had to figure out how to get out of the van.

The van drove at a normal pace in circles it felt like her; they must have been in a residential area because it had to make a lot of stops. She heard him talking to someone and explaining he had to bring her in now because he couldn't drive around in the van until dark and it wouldn't be long until the federal agents would find him if he kept driving.

"I don't care, I am bringing her now; your federal agent friends are good and the van you got me that couldn't be traced was; so this is going to level two. Just get the drugs ready for her to take and then we can sell her; I already have a hot buyer in Milan."

Milan, her mom was there.

Lee was driving around DC racking his brain when his car phone rang and Amanda picked it up and said, "Hello. Patch her through; Francine what do you have?"

"What I have you aren't going to believe. I have been looking through all the records of all the factories and one thing stood out. At all the factories there were only three employees that worked in some capacity in all three factories with the fires. Effraim brought them in and questioned them; one finally cracked and told us the whole process of how they picked, took, transported, and sold the girls."

"Great do we have the main seller, the one profiting from it all?"

"Amanda you aren't going to bel…" The line went dead and Amanda couldn't get it working again.

"Damn I lost the signal and the call Francine had something and now we aren't going to know what it is. Lee I am scared, that little girl is out there all alone and all I can think about is what if it was Jennie."

"I know me too. I swear whoever is involved I am going to put a bullet in there head."

After a couple of hours driving around Lee headed in the direction of home, Billy was covering the office for a few hours and he and Amanda needed to try and get ahold of Francine.

The van came to a stop and Katie couldn't hear anything and then the back of the van opened and the man pulled her to him and put a blindfold over her eyes and un-cuffed her from the van; but not from her. He also placed more duct tape over her mouth. He lifted he am flung her over his shoulder and began to carry her into the new location she heard him talking about. She knew that this was the place she needed to get from or she wasn't going to. She had to get to Lee and Amanda; she had to get home.

Lee walked into the house and Dotty was there with the twins, "Any news?" she asked.

"No, Mother, we almost had it but was about five minutes too late. Don't worry we still have ever exit in DC covered and we have road blocks doing car checks for Arlington. We will find her; I know we will."

"Your friend Francine called here; she wants you to call immediately. Constance called too before Francine. I just wished I had better news for her."

Lee came running into the kitchen and said "Amanda we got her; come on before it is too late."

"Be careful!" Dotty yelled after them.

Katie stood in a room with the blindfold over her eyes and her hands cuffed behind her back. She could hear two men talking but she couldn't hear what they were saying; it sounded like they were in another room. She struggled to get her wrists free but all she managed to do was cut her wrist some; she felt the blood slowly run down over her hands. She slowly moved her head and shoulder to try and move the blindfold from her eyes. It took a few minutes but she managed to get the blindfold off her eyes and as her eyes adjusted she couldn't believe what she saw. She was standing in her mother's home office. She was at her house; her own house. How could that be she wondered and then the men walked in; one was the man she had been with the last few days the other was her step father, Mitchell Anderson.

"Mitchell, Lee you're sure?" Amanda asked as he drove in the direction of Constance's home.

"Yes and as much as I don't want to believe it Francine said she was one hundred percent sure. Constance said that Mitchell was here in DC to help upgrade security at the office and at the house. He has been here for two weeks. She said Mitchell told Constance to just let Katie stay with us and not let her know he was home so she wasn't around all the workmen that would be around and if he finished early he would get her before he came back. Francine checked there has been no work done to the estate or office the whole time. I think he has been using the house as one of the holdings until he could move the girls. If he has then we might find more than Katie at the house. I have already called for Agency back-up, but we are alone until they arrive."

"Got it, let's go bring our girl home." Amanda said.

Katie stood looking at Mitchell and if her brain didn't make her breath automatically she knew she wouldn't be.

"How could you do this?"

"You are finally old enough." He said matter-of-factly without emotion.

"You are sick. My mom trusted you; I trusted you to take care of us. How would you explain this to my mother?"

"You never would have returned after the sale and so your mother would never have known what happen to you and you would just be another kidnapping statistic and she would have moved on."

"So what was I worth?"

"Your sale price went down after you began dating and sleeping with the King boy, but your price has been increased for your experience."

Ignoring his comment about her experience she steeled herself and said through gritted teeth, "How much am I worth you bastard?"

"Now Katie you know you shouldn't talk like that; the client wouldn't approve. It doesn't matter what you are worth; just know that you are worth it."

Katie felt her stomach lurch as if she was going to throw up but since she had refused to eat for the last two days she knew she didn't have anything in her system to throw up.

"Take these handcuffs off me I have to go to the bathroom."

Mitchell watched her and her face showed the face of someone who had resolved themselves to their life. He thought it would be okay; but he still cautioned her not to try anything.

"I just want to go to the bathroom."

Mitchell told his partner to take her to the downstairs bathroom and let her cuffs off and then to wait for her to be done. He did as he was told and as Katie was in the bathroom she locked the door and realized that this was the one that has a window but too small for anyone to get through. She looked through the cabinet and as she found her mother's make up bag she found tweezers in there and thought she could use it to help get away. Her excitement at the moment overrode her fear; this was her house and she wasn't leaving it without a fight. She had the home field advantage as Philip had told her before every home game.

Hiding the tweezers in the fold at her waist of her dress she left the bathroom and as he went to cuff her she stepped on his foot and grabbed the tweezers and stabbed at him. She kicked off her shoes and ran for the stairs only to have him tackle her on the stairs and she began to kick and scream. He wasn't going to get her. Just then Mitchell came into the hallway and went running toward the stairs as Lee busted through the front door and tackled him.

Lee knocked the gun from Mitchell's hand and Amanda ran toward the stairs where she saw Katie and a man struggling. Pulling her weapon she told him to freeze and the man at kicked Amanda knocking her gun from her hand and knocking her backward down the stairs. She was dazed but she was slowly getting back up; looking for her gun in the process.

Lee and Mitchell were fighting on the floor and giving and getting some pretty good punches to each other. Mitchell got Lee on his back and while above him he pointed his gun at Lee's head and as Lee looked into the barrel of the gun he heard the shot fire and froze as Mitchell fell on top of Lee a split second later.

Lee pushed Mitchell from him and looked at Amanda and smiled then said, "Thanks partner."

Amanda looked confused for a minute and said, "Lee, I didn't shoot."

They both looked at the stairs as Katie held the gun in her hand and then turned it too the man on the stairs. Lee and Amanda saw the look in her eyes and Lee walked toward her slowly and said, "Katie, honey he can't hurt you anymore, give me the gun."

She shook her head and said, "No, he hurt Amanda."

"I'm fine, Katie, give Lee the gun, sweetheart." Amanda said hoping to reassure her she was fine.

"Katie," Lee said as he placed his hands on her and the gun helping lower it, "he can't hurt you anymore. Give me the gun." Katie slowly released the gun and gave the gun to Lee who handed it to Amanda and pulled her into his arms and Katie screamed so loud and began to cry in Lee's arms.

"I did what you said, I never showed him fear. I did what you said."

Lee held her on the stairs as Billy and a surge of agents came in the house and Billy looked at Mitchell on floor dead and bleeding out.

"Billy, I think we need to search the house and see if there are any more girls here."

"Who shot Anderson?"

Amanda looked up at Lee who was still trying to console Katie and said, "I did, Sir, he had a gun pointed to Lee's head and I just fired. I meant to wound but I guess I missed."

"Okay you and Lee get her out of here and taken care of and we will search the house."

"Yes, Sir" Amanda handed the one man over to another agent and while Billy and the others searched Amanda walked up and took Katie from Lee's arms and walked her out of the house toward the ambulance. While Katie was put in the ambulance Amanda explained what all the EMT's need to do before taking her to the hospital. She held onto Amanda so tight and said, "I did what Lee said."

"I know you did and you can let it all it all out now. You can let all that fear go and be afraid now. You are safe." Amanda was sitting on the edge of the ambulance while they prepped Katie for transport; she saw Lee and Billy walk out of the house with four other girls. She just shook her head and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew it wasn't over that this was going to happen again but at least for these girls it was over.

Katie was released from the hospital the next day and not long after Lee and Amanda had her back at the house Constance, Francine, and Effraim were at the house. While Constance went upstairs to see her daughter Effraim filled Amanda and Lee in on how Mitchell had been doing this for a number of years. He knew that by working with Constance he had access to numerous beautiful young girls. He enlisted the help of the three in Milan and the rest is history. They used the factories and when things started getting top close then the fires started and the buyer and other girls were lost. They had no way of finding any of the girls from previous sales because the only person who had that information was dead.

Constance came into the room and walked over to Lee and Amanda and said, "I don't know how to thank you."

Lee put his arms around her and said, "No need for that, I'm just glad we found her in time. How is she now?"

"She is sleeping; she said that she killed Mitchell."

"Officially, I killed Mitchell; not Katie." Amanda said.

"She is going to need to talk to someone, but I think she is going to be fine. I was wondering if she could stay here a few more days. I have to find us a new home and I don't want her going back there."

"You both are welcome here for as long as you need." Amanda said.

After everyone had left Lee and Amanda were sitting in the living room on the couch when Jennie and Matt came in and sat between their parents. "Here," they handed them each a piece of paper. It had a heart on it and under the scribbles in her mother's hand writing it said 'Happy Anniversary love Jennie, Matt, Philip, Jamie, and Katie'.

They looked at each other their reflection must have mirrored the other.

"Amanda, we forgot our Anniversary." They just laughed and kissed their children and each other.


	6. Joe's Last Letter

**Joe's Last Letter**

It was almost midnight as Lee sat in his office looking out into the bullpen he was finalizing the report on the Milan file and Katie's abduction. It turned his stomach every time he thought about what she had went through in her short life. She had an abusive father who was willing to kill her to keep her away from her own mother; an even sicker step father that wanted to sell her to the highest bidder. Thank God she was now seeing someone to help her with all of that. From what Constance had told him and also from what he had observed she was doing better than most girls her age would have. He also believed that it help when Amanda told her about when she was abducted by Birol.

He looked at the files scattered across his desk and he thought about how he had gotten there. Dr. Smyth had tried to kill his wife and Billy got Smyth's job, Lee had gotten this one, and Amanda had become his Assistant. When Francine had returned to work he thought she would want this position, after all it was what Billy had been training her for. She didn't; she wanted more field work and even took on the Q.

Lee knew that Amanda missed being in the field, but so did he. He missed the action and excitement, but he also knew that he had a family waiting at home for him; he moved a file and found a white envelope with his name on it. Joe's letter he thought, he had brought it in with him and then it must have gotten lost under his files. Damn he had meant to read it sooner than a month after Joe's death. _Lee,_

_I have written letters all night to the people who mean the most to me; next to my wife that is. This one isn't as easy to write because at the moment I know that whatever I say is irrelevant to you because at the moment all you know is that I hurt and disappointed my sons again. I have done something to where you will have to pick up the pieces and try to put them back together. I hope you don't try to fix this; that is my job. I know I have been doing a lousy job here lately and I don't need you to remind me of that. The boys, Carrie, and Amanda already tell me enough._

_Tonight both of my children told me that they hated me, to forget that they even were born, and that they want to call you Dad. If they call you Dad where does that leave me? I know the last year has been hard on them, but I have tried, I hope you realize that. The day Philip was born was one of my happiest. I am sure you know the feeling with Matt and Jennie. I never thought I could love someone so much in my entire life. It was the most amazing feeling. That day I felt like I could go toe to toe with an untamed mustang and break it. Unfortunately the mustang broke me. Jamie's birth was no different; I was Superman and Amanda was Lois Lane. Our family was complete and I wanted to give them everything. In trying to achieve that goal I lost sight of the important things. I lost the people I was doing it all for._

_I took Amanda for granted and left her alone to raise two boys, run a household, and be available at my whim. I never expected two small children would adjust to the fact that Daddy was a person in a picture frame. It wasn't my plan to be an absentee parent; but it looks like that is what I have become, I want to change that._

_I want you to know that I don't like the fact that the boys want to call you Dad, but it seems that is something I will have to get used to. I also want you to know that I have no intention of just walking out of their lives. I am sure you won't believe me; just like the boys and Amanda I will have to prove it; I'm okay with that. They can take all the time they want to begin to believe in me again and I am okay with that. Just please don't stand in my way. Lee, I know you are a good man and I am glad that if I couldn't be there for them that you can._

_Jamie doesn't know and I am sure that you are unaware; I have seen a photo essay he did. It seems to be about fathers and sons. He has two pictures of me and him together and the rest is of you. He is so much like Amanda and guards his self and for him to have done this must have been really hard. The photos are great and he did a great job. That was why I backed out for the banquet because I know that Jamie would have preferred to take you and I wanted to give him what he wanted. He saw it as another way for me to just not measure up. I tried to explain why but he is just so mad at me; I want to give him time to calm down when I can talk and explain to him._

_I have seen a great change in them over the last two years and I don't think it has anything to do with me. It has had to do with you being there on a daily basis and being involved. Philip is so mature and more ready to defend his brother; that is something you had to have taught him because no matter what his mother and I did it never worked. Jamie has become less shy and has become more outspoken. Even the changes in Amanda can be attributed to you; she is stronger, braver, and happier._

_I want to thank you Lee for finding Amanda that day at the train station. She has a glow about her that I know only comes from doing something you really believe in and love. She does believe in the work she does; making the world better. The love she has for you is written all over her face and I know she is going to be fine._

_You know as well as I do that loving Amanda is not easy, she is stubborn and hates to admit when she is wrong; but I truly believe that she is the greatest loss of my life. I don't think I could have made her happy even if I had stayed. In all honesty I never wanted her to grow and change. I respect the fact that you allow her to be herself and try not to change her. Don't make the same mistakes I did and let work take over your life to the point where you are the one writing to your family asking for one more chance._

_Lee, just please promise me you will continue to love my family and always be there for the big things. I know that your job is also one that can at times come before your family; don't let it. Take time to get to know all of your children. Matt and Jennie won't be young forever and before you know it the boys will be gone too. Don't make my mistakes and lose the one that mean the most to you._

_Carrie and I will be gone until after the New Year but when we get back I want to see the boys. Carrie and I are opening our own firm so we can be there and prove to the boys that they are important to us. They are my whole world and I want to get back to being someone they can be proud of. I also want to be their Dad again; even if I have to share that title, but if I have to share it I am glad it is with you._

_Thank you again for loving and protecting them._

_Joe_

He picked up his coat and keys and headed out the door. He was going to go home and sleep a few hours. The drive to Arlington took less time considering the time of the morning. He made it home and went to check on the kids. Philip and Jamie was sound asleep both had the covers kicked off of them and he replaced them. Matt was in his toddler bed snuggled up to his teddy bear but Jennie wasn't in her bed. Panic took him as he went to get Amanda up and look for her; he found her in his bed next to her mother holding his pillow tightly with her thumb in her mouth.

"Hey, Princess, Daddy's home, time to go in your bed."

Jennie sat up and rubbed her little eyes and said, "Scary monsters."

"Scary monsters, where are scary monsters?" Lee whispered.

"In my bed."

"Your bed; well I was just in there and I didn't see any monsters. Let's go see." Lee took her tiny hand and walked her in her room and showed her that her room had no monsters in it. It was monster free.

"What if they come back Daddy?"

"They won't; see this?" He pulled out his Agency badge and let her hold it.

"What is this?" She asked as her fingers traced over his badge and she looked at his ID card.

"It means that I can keep you safe and no monsters can ever hurt you. Daddy will never let anyone hurt you."

"Can I keep it?"

"No; I can't let you have it, but you can look at it."

"Tell me a story, Daddy."

"What story do you want to hear, Princess?"

Her eyes lit up and she said, "The one when you met Mommy and got married."

"Princess, that is a long story, but I can tell you some of it. You see once upon a time Daddy was working and he had to go to the train station. He was trying to deliver a package to a friend and he couldn't find his friend. He asked Mommy to help him and she did."

"And you fell in love with Mommy at the train?"

"No, not at the train, but I did fall in love with Mommy not long after the train, I was just scared to tell her. Now you go back to sleep, Princess. Daddy and Mommy will see you in the morning." Bending down he kissed her forehead and walked from the room, never realizing until they had dropped the twins off with Dotty the next morning and had arrived at the Agency that Jennie still had his ID and badge.


	7. April Storms

**April Storms**

Spring Break had come and gone and now Lee and Amanda were feeling the pressure of work. It was like winter was over and every crazy political or terrorist group had woken from hibernation. Lee was sleeping at the office for the last week and Amanda was working from home since Dotty and Curt was out of town for a couple of weeks.

Amanda had just hung up from talking with Lee and Francine on a conference call when the kids came in soaking wet from the April rain.

"Oh, my gosh, you guys are soaked to the bone!" She exclaimed. "Take your socks and shoes off right there and then go and change your clothes and bring me the wet ones."

"Okay, Mom." The boys said at the same time but Katie stood there and said, "Uh, Amanda, I don't have any clothes to change into."

Philip said, "You can borrow my robe."

"Nice try Philip, I have something she can wear. Katie take your socks and shoes off then follow me."

Katie followed Amanda up the stairs and went into her bathroom to take her clothes off. Amanda opened her dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and an oversized tee shirt that should fit her. She also went to the closet and pulled out a pair of house shoes for her to wear.

"Katie, I have the clothes on the bed and a pair of house shoes for you to put on if you just hand me your clothes out I can get them in the dryer with the others. They should be done before your mother gets here to get you."

"Okay, thanks Amanda."

Amanda went down and began to put the wet clothes in the dryer as the phone rang and Philip answered it.

"Mom, Dad is on the phone for you."

"Hey, didn't we just get off the phone?" She asked as she took the phone.

"Yeah, look I hate to ask you this but can you come in? I know the boys and Katie are there so the twins will be fine. I just really need you in here for a few hours. We just got a big break and I need you here to help coordinate some things for later tonight."

"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. I will let them know. I will let her know. Now let me get off here so I can change and get in there."

"Okay, be careful. See you soon. I love you Amanda."

Amanda hadn't heard that last part she had already begun to hang up and explain to the boys and Katie that they could order pizza for dinner and to keep a close eye on the twins. "This rain is fascinating them and I have stopped them more times today than I can count trying to get out in it."

"Don't worry Mom we have this under control. Go get the bad guys."

"Thank you. I love you guys." She walked over and kissed the twins, the boys, and Katie before she grabbed her keys and ran out the door; leaving her purse on the counter.

An hour later while eating dinner Jamie answered the phone, "Hello. HI Dad. No she left about an hour ago. No, Constance already picked Katie up; it is just the four of us here. Uh, Dad, Mom left her purse so when she gets there let her know okay."

"Yeah, I sure will. Thanks hey how are the twins?"

"Fine; they still want to go play in the rain, but we haven't let them."

"Okay, Jamie, make sure you guys do your homework too. Love you guys."

"Love you too Dad." Jamie hung the phone up and went back to the table to finish eating.

Lee looked at Francine and said, "Start calling hospitals and give them the description of Amanda and see if they have any Jane Does that may have been admitted. She left the house over an hour ago; even in this weather she should have been here by now. I am going to check with the State police and see if there have been any accidents." Francine stood to leave and go make the calls as Lee picked up his phone and began to dial.

Meanwhile Amanda sat in the booking room at the DC police station and was getting more agitated by the minute. She had asked three times to make a call to let her husband know where she was and she was told she was going to have to wait.

"Wait, Sir, I am a federal agent and I need to call my supervisor and tell him why I am not in the office doing my job. This is crazy. I already told you I was in a hurry and left my purse with all my identification in it at home and now if you would just let me call my husband we can get this all taken care of."

The ringing of the phone made the desk sergeant to stop her as he said, "DC Station Two. No we haven't responded to any accidents in that area. Yes if we get any calls I will let your office know. Absolutely, sir, Priority One I understand."

"Okay now lady you are going to have to go wait over there until we run your prints and find out who you are. You were speeding, you have no identification on your person, and you had a gun in your vehicle. Now go sit and wait."

"I have done that very well."

"Never done what well?"

"Wait."

Francine walked in and said that no one fitting Amanda's description was admitted to any hospitals. "I put an APB out on her car. Don't worry what could have happened?"

"Francine, this IS Amanda we are talking about. For all I know she spotted a KGB agent coming out of a grocery store and followed them."

"Lee, she will be fine. Calm down and until we hear different let's take care of the task force team assembly and assignments. This bust is going to happen with or without your wife here."

"I know I know."

They had been working for about twenty minutes when a knock on the door made them look up and Lee waved in the shy secretary in.

"Mr. Stetson, they got a hit on your wife's car. It is at DC Station Two's lot. Her fingerprints were also run. She has been arrested."

"Arrested? Did it say what charge?"

"Wreak less driving, driving over the posted speed limit, having an unregistered weapon, driving without a license, and resisting arrest."

Lee and Francine looked at each other and bust out laughing, "Francine, can you take over for me please, while I go and rescue the police from the dangerous and armed Amanda Stetson. For all we know she has talked the station to death by now."

Lee walked into the station house and walked to the desk. He didn't see Amanda anywhere he could only assume she was in back.

"Hello, I am her to get my wife, Amanda Stetson."

The desk sergeant looked at his and said, "I don't have an Amanda Stetson; sorry."

Lee flashed his badge and said, "I think you do because her car is in your impound lot and my office received the information of her arrest and if you are the same person I spoke with than you know that my office had her on a priority one if she was found."

He remembered the conversation now he had earlier; but that damn woman wouldn't stop talking.

"I will see but I don't have anyone on my list with that name so let me check the computer." Pecking at the keyboard he said, "Yeah she is booking now. You can see her when we are done booking her."

"Is there a room I can wait in to speak with her when you are done booking her?"

"Sure," he pointed to a room to his right and said, "In there."

Forty-five minutes later Amanda walked in but didn't see Lee standing there as he listened to her, "You have to let me make my phone call. We are both going to be real sorry if I don't make that call."

"Amanda,"

"Hang on Lee I am trying get my phone call. Now let me call my LEE!"

Amanda ran into his arms and said, "How did you know I was here; they wouldn't let me make my call. I was in such a hurry. I have been arrested again."

"Again; when we ran your name nothing came back on you."

"And it won't, Amanda Stetson has never been arrested, Amanda King on the other hand has been arrested, but only internationally." Lee informed them. "Now how do I get her out of here?"

"You will have to wait until she has been arraigned."

"When will that be?"

"The next hour for arraignments are at nine tonight."

"Nine tonight, but I need her now." Lee said, running his hand through his hair.

"Your needs are going to have to wait, sir, for now she is here."

"No you see it is a matter of national security, she is part of my task force team and I need my agent."

"I thought she was your wife?"

"She is and she is also one of the best agents in the country. I should know I trained her."

"Well, then if she is so good then I guess she shouldn't have been caught; now unless you are also a lawyer I have to take her to her cell. Her arraignment is at nine tonight. If bail is set than you can get her then."

"Lee?" Amanda asked

"Give me five minutes alone with her please. I need to talk to her."

The officer left the room and Amanda went to Lee and put her arms around him. She hadn't seen him in a week and now her she was in jail.

"Okay, I only have five minutes and they are being jack asses so I guess we just wait until nine. How many of those charges are true?"

"I did cross the yellow line twice, but I couldn't see the road that clearly, that is why I don't think I was speeding. I did have my gun in the car as always but not my purse with my permit for it. I left my purse at home, so I didn't have any identification."

"What about the other charge? Did you resist arrest?"

Blushing Lee knew she didn't even have to answer and he said, "I don't need the answer to that question, well there is nothing I can do until tonight. I will get someone from legal over here to talk with you and be with you in court. I am going back to the office and if Francine has everything in order than I am going to get phase two in place and then I plan on seeing you at home after all this and I will see you there."

Kissing Amanda before he left he whispered, "I was worried sick; after Joe and Carrie all I could think of was that something happened to you tonight. I couldn't handle that."

"Lee, I'm not going anywhere."

The officer came in and took her back to her cell and as he was leaving he called Francine and told him he was on his way back in and to start getting phase two in place.

Lee made it home two hours later and walked in to hear Philip and Jamie fighting, "Whoa, what is going on?"

Looking down to where the boys looked he saw the huge mud stains on the carpet. "Fellas what happened?"

"Jennie and Matt got outside and found a mud puddle and then came in to tell us about it. We got their bathes and in their night clothes and then well"

"Daddy!" The twins each grabbed a leg and Lee was covered in mud from the knee down.

Lee looked at his youngest children and tried and failed at keeping his cool, "Damn it, Philip and Jamie you were to keep them out of this rain. What were you doing that was more important than keeping an eye on these two? And you two, if your brothers told you not to do something than you do not do it! Now get out of those muddy clothes and get back upstairs in that bathroom. I will be up there to give you another bath. I said now!" His voice got louder when the twins just stood looking at him and began to cry.

"No, don't cry, you made this mess, just look at Mommy's rug and the mess you made of it."

They took their clothes off and then ran up the stairs and waited for their father. Lee told the boys that he would deal with them after he took care of the twins. He couldn't believe the year that this family was having, couldn't they have one normal month, hell at this point Lee would take a normal hour.

Lee finished cleaning the twins up and explained again that there was a time and place to play in the rain, but today was not the day and that they wouldn't get any treats for a week for disobeying their brothers not one time but twice. He sent them downstairs and they sat on the couch and looked at the books he gave them.

"Now you two, first of all I am sorry for yelling earlier, but today was not the day to have lost the twins in the rain, twice. Now how did that happen?"

Jamie spoke first he said, "I lost track of them first. We were playing hide and seek with them and I was it. The phone rang and I thought it was you or Mom and it turned out to be Brittany and we got to talking and then we started to fight and then we broke up and when I hung the phone up, I noticed the door was opened. I yelled for Philip and we found them under the treehouse in a puddle throwing mud at each other. We brought them back in and told them that was naughty to go outside and not let us know and not to again."

"Then we each gave them a bath and put their night clothes on and then I went to change my clothes while Jamie put in a movie for them and then he went to change his clothes. When we came back down they were both outside again and we had to chase them around before getting them and they ran back in here and when we got in here they were rolling on the floor and then they ran from us and we started to fight because I told Jamie it was his fault again because he should of stayed with them until I was back down here and that is pretty much when you came in." Philip finished the explanation of events.

Lee looked at his sons and said, "Okay, you fellas have to be more careful when you watch them. As you can see they call it the terrible twos for a reason."

"Where is Mom?"

"Jail. She will be home later."

"Jail? Why is she in jail?"

"Like three or four charges. I bet she never forgets her purse again. If she had that than a lot of those charges wouldn't matter. Legal will go with her and help her but she can't get arraigned until nine tonight and then she will be home. Go watch the movie with them please until I get back from taking my own shower."

Philip and Jamie stood and went to sit next to the twins and watch the movie while Lee climbed the stairs and took his clothes off an got into the hot shower and let the water run over him. His stress level was past its breaking point and he needed this. As the water turned cooler he turned off the water than went to dry off and put on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.

Walking in to the living room he sat in the chair, the twins got off the couch and both climbed into his lap and they continued to watch the movie. Amanda walked in a few hours later and noticed the muddy stains on her rugs and her family all in the living room sleeping in various places. The twins were curled in the crook of Lee's arms and Philip and Jamie were sleeping on the couch and floor. Apparently they had watched a movie together. Before she woke them the phone rang and she answered it before anyone stirred.

"Hello? Francine, how is everything going? No, he is asleep what do you need?"

"Phase one worked perfectly, we have a very chatty person here and I need Lee's approval to go forward with phase two and finish this."

"Go forward if you think it is worth anything. If you trust what this man is telling you than finish it up. Do you already have the second strike team ready and prepared?"

"Amanda, of course I do; I have doing this longer than you children have been alive. You know I need Lee's approval."

"Okay let me wake him."

"Lee, give me them, Francine is on the phone and needs your approval for phase two." Lee handed her Matt and placed Jennie in the chair and went to the phone.

"Uh, yeah what have we got Francine?"

"Weapons, targets, and locations. Do we have approval to move forward?"

"Yeah, go forward, be safe and call me when it is over. I think I am taking the day off tomorrow."

"Gotcha Lee. Get some rest. Is Amanda okay, I forgot to ask."

Smiling he said, "Yeah, it should be an interesting morning news page in the morning."

Amanda carried Matt to his room and placed him in his bed as he began to wake up, "Mommy, sorry."

"What are you sorry for Matt?" She asked as she brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"We messed your bugs up."

"My bugs; Matt do you mean my rugs?"

He nodded and he began to cry again. Amanda pulled him in her arms and said, "It was fun in the rain wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was Mommy."

Lee walked in and laid Jennie in her bed and pretended not to listen as he tucked in Jennie.

"Did you see and hear all the thunder and lightning? Did it scare you?"

"No but it did Jennie; but she is a girl and I am a boy, I don't get scared."

Lee walked over and said, "Take it from Daddy boys do get scared; all the time."

"You don't get scared Daddy." Matt said as he put his hands on Lee's face.

"Yes, Daddy does. I was scared today when I couldn't find Mommy for a while."

"Mommy was lost?"

"Just for a little while, but Mommy is fine and Daddy isn't scared now; I think you need to go back to sleep and Daddy will see you in the morning."

"No work, Daddy?"

"Nope, no work Buddy."

Lee and Amanda went back downstairs and woke the boys and told them to go up and change for bed. The boys mumbled goodnight and went upstairs to bed after kissing their mother. Lee sat next to his wife and turned to look at her and waited; and he waited some more.

"A-man-da would you like to tell me what happened at your arraignment or do I have to read it in the newspaper?" Lee asked.

"That man you sent from legal is very good despite being very young; he did very well. He got most of the charges dropped. He was able to show that I do have a valid license, a permit to carry my gun so it really isn't unregistered, wreak less driving was thrown out because the judge believed I was having trouble seeing the road. We have another court date because I am fighting two of the charges; the one of speeding and resisting arrest."

"Take a breath, did you resist arrest Amanda?"

"Not a lot, but he made me mad. First when I pulled over the officer was yelling at me like I had taken him on a twenty mile car chase, Lee I drive a Jeep, it wasn't like I had the Corvette. Then when I realized I left my purse I opened the glove compartment to get my insurance card and registration and he saw my gun and then he drew his gun on me and started to yell and I was trying to explain and he was just not listening to anything I had to say and the next thing I know he grabbed me and spun me around and cuffed me. He just wouldn't listen to anything I said. It was horrible."

Lee placed his hand over hers and pulled her close to him. "Amanda if I have taught you anything I was hoping that it was to always cooperate with the local boys and girls in blue; but also to always have your ID and badge with you."

"Oh, you mean like you when Jennie had yours and refused to give them to Mother so they didn't get lost until I was able to get them back last month? Tell me another one Lee; you can't tell me that you haven't ever been caught without your credentials and I know for a fact you go toe to toe with the boys and girls in blue all the time. I think besides Billy, Francine, Emily, and myself I don't think you have made to many friends in this business; you like to charge through and ask questions later."

"Now that is not entirely true; I have lots of friends; just not that many in the local level. The state and I get along great; besides everyone loves me." He said wiggling his eyebrows and flashing her his stellar smile.

"You know Matt has that same smile."

"I know and Jennie has your cute nose."

"Philip has your gun ho attitude."

"Jamie has your logical mind."

"I say before anyone calls or walks in on us we just lock up and go to bed and put my logical mind together with your gun ho attitude and see what happens."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Mrs. Stetson."


	8. Matters of the Heart

**Matters of the Heart **

The last week of school in May was exciting; Philip was ready to participate with the traveling baseball team and would be gone for six weeks. Jamie was going to spend three weeks at the Georgetown University Summer Science program. Katie and her mother were going on their annual summer fashion tour and in June in New York for their benefit.

Lee was working with the State Department on a number of security detail functions. Amanda was helping him of course and was starting a new training class of freshman agents. She was excelling as the training supervisor and the Agency had more agents that were finishing the program than not since she took the classes over. Beaman was happy to be over fabrications again and out of the teaching sector.

"Why are you still waiting on their backgrounds? They are usually right on that and another thing why were you meeting them without the checks done?" Francine asked before Lee had a chance to.

"I met with the fifteen out of twenty because I couldn't meet the others without my security checks on them. Francine do you really think as much as you and Lee LOVE to quote the Agency manuals to me after all this time that I would meet new candidates without all the proper paperwork? I told the other five that as soon as I have all their information I will contact them and depending on our finding if they move forward in the program."

"What are your first impressions of the fifteen you have met with, Amanda?" Lee asked.

"I see potential in all but a few maybe not ready for this but I am waiting on those finding for a few weeks in. I don't think it is fair to make assessments this early."

"Amanda, damn it we need to know if they are worth the time to be here. If you can't assess them in the first few days then why are you even here?" Francine snapped at her and Lee stepped in and said, "Hang on there, Amanda has been doing this job for a while and she has good instincts, so why all of a sudden are you acting like you did when Amanda first began working here?"

Francine looked down and said, "Amanda, I'm sorry. I am just a little on edge here lately. I didn't mean anything by it. I know you know how to do your job."

"It's okay Francine; is it anything you want to talk about?" Amanda asked.

Francine looked at Amanda and then over at Lee and said, "Uh, no. I don't think so."

Lee picked up on the indication that she wanted to talk just not in front of him. "Well, Amanda, if you don't have anything to report than I have a few things I need to get done. Are we still meeting Dotty for lunch?"

"As far as I know we are." She said.

He just nodded at the two women and took his leave and they noticed that before he even made it to his office that three field agents stopped him and he just ran his hand through his hair and said sounding very much like Billy Melrose, "One at a time people."

"He gets more like Billy every day." Amanda said.

"Yeah, you know what that means; Billy and Harry will have him running the whole damn thing in a few years."

"God let's hope not; I don't think I could handle that. Now what is bothering you? You know you can talk to me about anything."

"I have to tell Effraim something and I don't know how. He is really a patient man and he would be a great father."

"Are you going to have a baby?"

"No, that is just it. I just found out that I never healed properly from the explosion a few years ago and I can't have children ever; actually they want to give me a hysterectomy to correct damage. How can I tell him that I am never going to give him children?"

"He loves you and his concern is only for you and your health. He will understand. Sure he is going to be hurt but so are you; you can't go through this alone. Francine, he will understand."

"I know but I feel like a failure; Lee said I could have it all, a career and a family."

"He did when?"

"In the hospital before you and him went back to New York to be with Katie."

"Francine, he was right, there are other ways to have a baby and not give birth yourself. There is adoption and surrogates."

Francine looked at Amanda and knew she was right but it was still hard to face the reality of not having a child of her own. She was even disappointed to find out that she wasn't able to have children; more so than she thought she would be.

"I know all the logical arguments, but I think I am still really disappointed."

"I know; I was floored when I found out about the twins; only because it hadn't been that long since being shot; I didn't know if I would be able to carry them. Then when I became so sick and weak while Lee was gone I just knew for a fact that I was going to lose them."

"But you at least got to carry them; I will never know what that feels like."

"You are right I am never going to know what it is like to be told that I can't carry a child; I have already carried four, but I do know what it is like to be told what your odds of ever having one again would be. Lee doesn't know this but the doctors said that I had a one in a billion chance of ever having a baby with him."

"That is more than the chance they gave me; they told me it is impossible."

"Francine, have you gotten a second opinion?"

"No, I have had this doctor for years."

"Get a second opinion and if it is the same then go from there. Either way you need to talk to your husband. He loves you no matter if you can give him a child or not."

Francine just nodded and felt a little better after talking to Amanda and they left the conference room; Amanda walked over to her desk and began checking on the security clearances she didn't have and Francine went to her office in the Q and made an appointment with a specialist in childbirth.

Lunchtime came and Amanda couldn't find Lee anywhere and no one had seen him for over two hours. She left him a note and told him she went to meet her mother and to join them as soon as he could. Just as she was grabbing her purse from her desk Lee came running in looking for her and said, "Come on we are going to be late."

"Where on Earth have you been?"

"A meeting with Billy and the President; funny thing is you can't really tell the President you have to leave for a lunch date with your wife and mother in law."

"Well, I am sure he has a wife and mother in law to contend with; he may have understood a little." She told him as they got onto the elevator and headed for the Georgetown entrance. They handed their ID's to Mrs. Marston and as they walked out the door to head toward their car they came full force with Philip; who should have been at school taking his finals of the year.

"Hey, what in the hell are you doing in the city and not taking your finals; I didn't allow you to drive the Corvette this week to skip school." Lee said as he felt his blood pressure rising and then he began to worry as to why he was here. "Wait, is everything okay Philip?"

"No, I really need to talk to you, Dad." The urgency in his voice made Amanda say, "Lee, I'll meet mother and explain that something came up and leave it between the two of you." She gave both a hug and kiss and went to her Jeep and left to go meet her mother.

"Okay, you wanted me now what is going on?"

"First of all Dad I want you to know I took all the tests I was supposed to today, so I was given permission to leave. I'll go get Jamie after school but I have been walking around the block trying to figure out how to get to you without getting shot on sight."

"I don't have a D-1 manhunt out on you, come on let's walk and talk. You seem to feel the need to move and if I move with you than maybe you will finally spill what is on your mind." The two began to walk and ended up at a small playground before Philip ever spoke.

"She wants to break up and she won't tell me why. She says that it has nothing to do with her kidnapping in February, but I can't stop thinking that something more happened that she won't talk about. I have never been in her place and have no real reference, but you do. Do you think she is telling me the truth; that this really has nothing to do with it and I am just a lousy boyfriend?"

"First off let me tell you that I have watched you two together and you are not a lousy boyfriend; you're a damn sure better one than I ever was before your mother. Let me ask you something; now know I am asking for reference not as your Dad. Have you and Katie been well have you two had sex?" Lee braced himself for the answer and let out the air he was holding in as Philip said, "No, we haven't had sex. Would you think less of me if I told you that it is something I have thought about a lot?"

Lee smiled and said, "No I would be more surprised if you tried to tell me that it never crossed your mind. Philip, I know the thoughts of a teenage boy better than anyone; it seemed to be the only thing I learned as a teenager. I am glad in more than one way to hear that you two haven't moved forward. Katie has been through one of the worst things anyone, not just a teenage girl, could have been through. It just seems to be one of the many things that she has had to endure in her life. Has she ever talked to you about Conrad, her father?"

"Yeah, after she moved here Jamie and I had a ton of questions for her. That is when she told us that she was really hurt that it turned out that you weren't her biological father. Conrad sounded like a real nut case."

"Well, okay now think about this, try having that nut case for a father, watching him hurt and threaten your mother, torment you with threats against your mother to make you do things he wants, then find out that someone else could be your father and fix it so you wouldn't have to ever be around him again only to find out that it isn't true. Then when you start to feel secure and that your life is going in the right direction you get your first boyfriend, and then your step father kidnaps and tries to sell you and all of that all before you were ever sixteen years old. Her life has been nothing but an emotional roller coaster. You could have pushed her away at the beginning of dating her to deal with all you were going through with Joe and Carrie passing away. Philip, you didn't run from her you ran toward her. It took a lot of courage to kiss her that night in front of all of us. It told her a lot about you."

"Dad I know how hard things have been for her, but all she will tell me is that it has nothing to do with me and that she will always be my friend. I can still call her and talk to her about anything and how nothing is going to change; except everything is going to change; I don't want a friend I have plenty of those, I want my girlfriend. Is that selfish?" The tears streaming down his face broke Lee's heart; it killed Lee to know that his son was in so much pain. He knew what he would be feeling if he had to give Amanda up and just go back to being her friend, he couldn't have done it.

"My God, you love her, don't you? She is your first love?"

"Of course I love her, I loved her since the summer we met and you brought her home with you."

"Did you know what love was then?"

"Not this kind, at the time I just knew that I hated it anytime she spent all that time with Jamie and any other boy at school that showed interest. I knew that I hated it when she was around at times but I hated it more when she wasn't. Now all I know is that she wants our friendship to stay the same and all I know is that I can't do that. I mean how am I supposed to act around her at the house?"

Lee looked at his son and said the only thing he knew to tell him and he knew Philip may end up hating him for it. "Then the only thing I can tell you is to give her what she wants. Now wait and hear me out; think this through. You are getting ready to leave for six weeks and she is getting ready to leave on a summer retreat with her mother. You two won't aren't even going to see each other for almost three months. A lot can change in three months; especially for teenagers."

"Do you really think so little of me that you would think I would cheat on her; gee thanks Dad?"

"No, all I am asking you to do is think about this from the mind of a teenage girl that is all."

Philip looks at him and asked, "Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less."

"Then think of it this way, just because she broke up with you doesn't mean you have to break up with her. If her way of thinking is that of out of sight out of mind then you have to prove her wrong. Show her what she means to you; if this is all a product of what she has been through then you have to show her that you are there if she needs you. Be her friend when she needs one and if you do love her then love her through this; whether she wants you to or not. Sometimes the fear of being loved by someone is scarier than not having them love you at all. I know all about that."

"What do you mean?"

Lee sat there trying to decide if he was ready to get this in depth with his son about his past before Amanda.

"Have you ever asked your mom what I was like when we first met?"

"She says it is a need to know situation and leaves it at that."

"I guess your security clearance just got bumped up. I was the biggest asshole to Amanda when I first met her. No matter how many times I told her she couldn't or shouldn't do this job; she did everything she could to show me and a few others that she could and was going to do this job. I would tell her in subtle ways she was weak and she proved she was the strongest woman I had ever met. No matter what I did she never left me, one time I thought I had lost her and it killed me and I swore that I could handle her not working in this business and not with me but I couldn't have her look at me the way she did."

"What did you do?"

Lee looked at Philip and knew if he told him he would never look at him the same ever again but if he didn't he would feel like a liar. "In the course of a case and the role I had to play I slapped her across her face. It was the look in her eyes that day that changed my life forever. I was so lucky that despite what I had done to her that I was able to apologize and I was even luckier that she forgave me, because I know that I have never forgiven myself for that moment. Philip, I didn't tell you that to have you hate me I hate myself enough for it; I told you because it goes to show you that you are more like her than you know. Her friendship and love scared me more than all the terror that comes with a job like this. Sometimes you just have to be patient and wait for the other person to let you openly care for them. If Katie is as important as I was to your mother than just give her this time and let her know you are there when and if she needs you. I wish I had more for you than that, but I don't. Can I ask you something now?"

Philip just sat there and nodded he still couldn't believe that the man he looked up to and wanted to be like had hit his mother and she loved him anyway in spite of it.

"Do you think that if you give her time and are just her friend and she finds out that is where you will be for the rest of her life; could you just be her friend?"

"Can you ask me that again in about six weeks Dad?"

"Yeah, I can ask you again in six weeks. I hope I helped you some Philip."

"You did Dad, would you be mad at me if I asked Mom about the time you slapped her?"

"I encourage you to ask her about it, but I ask one favor; do it privately."

"Okay. I have to go so I can get Jamie from school and get to practice; we do leave in two days."

The walk back to the car was filled with light conversation about Philips upcoming trip and his last two finals; which were his two hardest subjects. Lee told him that he would help him go over his notes and quiz him if he needed it and as they reached the IFF building Philip saw his mother walking back and he really watched her and as she saw them. He watched her face light up when she looked at the two of them. She saw her expression go from concern while smiling at him and switch to something completely different when she looked over to Lee. He saw what Lee was talking about. Here he was her son and she had brought Lee into his life to trust him with Lee and he knew that she would never have done that if she didn't trust Lee with all that was in her.

"Hi, how was your talk?" She asked as she looked at Philip.

"Mom, do you have any plans for dinner tonight?"

Amanda looked from Philip to Lee and Lee gave her a look that told her something was up and she looked back at Philip and said, "Not if you need me, sweetheart."

Philip smiled and said, "I will always need you, but tonight I want to take you out to dinner; just the two of us."

"Okay. Will this be casual or do I need to dress for dinner?" She asked smiling brightly.

"Casual is fine." Philip hugged and kissed her then turned and walked toward the Corvette to get in and leave to get his brother.

"Tell me we aren't going to be grandparents and this dinner is supposed to soften the blow."

"Far from it, but I will tell you this it will be one intense conversation and that is my fault. Be prepared I bumped up his clearance level."

Opening the door Mrs. Marston looked up as Amanda said, "What in the hell have you done now Scarecrow?"

Later that night sitting across from her oldest son Amanda felt the tears build in her eyes as Philip asked her about the time Lee had slapped her.

"Why did you ever go back around Dad after he slapped you?"

"I wish I had a better answer for you but the only one I have is deep down I knew that wasn't Lee."

"He told me that he had been a real asshole to you in the beginning; why did you take it."

"I knew exactly what Lee was doing in the beginning. He didn't want anyone to be responsible for and I was a lot of responsibility back then. At first it was the thrill of what you see in movies; the idea of being a female James Bond, but Lee was more James Bond, I was more Sherlock Holmes. It soon became about really finding out what the job was and making it a better world for you, Jamie, and your grandmother. I really wanted to make it safer and I have in many ways. I have also made a lot of mistakes but I lived to at least learn from them."

"How many times have we almost lost you?" The concern and fear in his voice Amanda heard loud and clear.

"I stopped counting after the first six months." She answered honestly. "If I had kept on counting I wouldn't be here to even have this conversation; I would be in the looney bin."

"Mom, I know what you do is important but was it ever more important than me or Jamie?"

Amanda didn't need to take a second to answer that, "Never, what I do will never be more important than any one of you. I missed a lot more than I wanted to as I worked my way up to being a full agent and I do regret that, but it was never more important than you guys. Did I make you feel that way, that my job was more important than you?"

"Sometimes, but never in the way my Dad did. You never moved to a completely different country to make your job more important."

"Philip do you want me to leave the Agency?" She asked as she reached over and took his hand in hers.

"Sometimes I wish you would. I won't lie and say that I don't wake up from a nightmare of being told that you or Dad has been killed in the line of duty."

"I understand that fear. That is why I stopped counting how many times your grandmother could have gotten that call; except because my job wasn't known to my family at the time it would have been just a terrible accident of some kind."

"Mom was it easy to be Dad's friend even when he was pushing you away from him?"

"It was easy most of the time, because what he didn't tell you was that even though he was pushing me away he would always give me a piece of him in spite of himself. The first case he told me he was a loner and in the next breath he gave me the piece of the puzzle as to why. Mind you it wasn't the whole puzzle but it was the first one. He gave it in anger but he gave it none the less. There are still things that he can't tell me about his life because, even though I am his wife, I don't have the clearance to know and it is still on a classified status."

"Was his slapping you the worst thing he ever did to you?"

Amanda smiled at the memory of walking in to Lee's apartment only to see Leslie making herself at home and Lee being okay with it or at least until he realized she was still there to witness it.

"I wish I could say that it was but even as bad as that slap was it sometimes is the slap to the heart that hurts worse. I bet you know about that right now; Lee told me about Katie."

"Yeah, it really sucks."

"I know but you have to realize that this is on Katie not you. It has to be her to try to come back if that is what she feels, but you can only wait so long before you have to move on from that kind of pain. I know all about waiting to make things work and realizing the only thing you are prolonging is the end. This is what Lee and I was worried about with Jamie and Katie, but after a while it was real obvious that it wasn't the younger King that held her interest in a 'more than friendship' way. She is crazy about you, but given what she has been through she may just need some more time."

"That is what is Dad said; Mom do you know if any of the details of her kidnapping?"

Amanda knew what he was about to ask and she became conflicted on how to answer him. "I know all of them, I did Katie's debriefing. Why do you want to know?"

"Was she raped? Did those men take something from her that she wanted to wait to give to her husband on their wedding night? Did those bastards take that from her?"

Amanda knew that Philip swore from time to time but it didn't make it any easier to hear when he did but she also knew he was speaking from emotions at the time and not how he would normally talk in front of her. "I am not supposed to talk to you about the details but I will set your mind at rest on this topic; no she wasn't raped. The man that took her from the school did want to make her think he would if she didn't comply and do what she was told so he did force her to kiss him."

"I know I shouldn't ask but how did she get through it?"

"Philip, I really can't talk about it; didn't Katie ever tell you anything?"

"All she told me was that nothing was more important to her than just putting it behind her and getting back to normal."

"The summer she met Lee they got stuck on a Ferris wheel and she asked how he made it through the really dangerous stuff. He told her that it was okay to be afraid but not to let the other guy know that. It only gives the bad guys power if they know you are scared and afraid; if you don't show fear than they have no power over you. Love is kind of the same way, if you don't show it than you can fool yourself in to believing that it can't hurt you."

They finished dinner and went home to find Katie sitting at the kitchen table playing cards with Lee and Jamie. Despite his own judgment Philip walked and sat next to Katie and took her hand and smiled when she didn't pull away from him as she had earlier that day. Lee told Amanda that the twins were down for the count and he even successfully got them bathed before reading a story to them and them falling asleep.

"Very nice; do you care to repeat the process I would love to have a bath and hear a story before going to bed. I have five more interview candidates tomorrow." Lee stood and they told everyone goodnight and they went upstairs. "Why is Katie here?"

"Her and her mom had a fight and she had nowhere else to go."

"Okay, look here Scarecrow I love her but she better not hurt my son anymore tonight."

"I have already given the warning speech. She doesn't want to hurt him. She never did mean to hurt him in the first place. I think that is what the fight was about with Constance; I am beginning to think this was more Constance than Katie."

"Okay, now Constance I have no problem getting mad at over this."

"Calm your anger Amanda, let them handle it. Just because they are teenagers doesn't mean they can't work it out in their own way."

Two days later Amanda Stetson was saying goodbye to Philip at school with his team mates as Lee was driving Jamie to Georgetown University. Jamie of course was going to be closer but she still wouldn't see him until his three weeks were over and Philip wouldn't be back for six. She walked in her house and realized how quite it was even with the two year olds playing hide and seek with the beautiful sandy hair girl with bright hazel eyes.

"Are you sure you want to be here instead of with your mother this summer?"

"Amanda, I know this may sound crazy but I only feel like I am at home when I am here. I love my mother but I think we just need some space. Besides Dotty needs some time for just her and Kirk and I can watch the twins for you and Lee. I have the whole summer planned for me and the prince and princess."

"Okay but if you ever want to catch up with your mom just let us know."

"I will thank you. Thank you for not hating me when I tried to break up with Philip. I never wanted to, Mom wanted me to because she thought we were getting too serious and having sex. We never have if you are wondering."

"I wasn't wondering if you and Philip had sex; I knew you hadn't."

"Oh, yeah Francine has been trying to get a hold of you since you left. She said it was really important. I think she was crying. She said she knew it was your day off but I think something may be happening in the world."

"Did she want to talk with Lee too?"

"No, she never mentioned him."

Amanda picked the phone up and tried Francine's extension but she never answered and so she tried her home number and she heard Francine answer after the second ring.

"Amanda?"

"Yes, Francine what has happened?"

"I need you to help me with something on Monday. I have an appointment with a specialist and I want you to go with me."

Amanda was genuinely surprised even though she knew they were closer as friends she was still shocked to hear Francine ask her to go with her.

"Oh, of course I will go with you. Are you sure you want me to do this Francine?"

"Of course I do, next to Lee and Effraim you are my best friend."

"What time on Monday do you need me Francine?" Amanda wrote down the time and realized it was her own specialist she had seen with the twins where she was going to meet Francine. She hung the phone up and went to play with the kids and Katie in the backyard and an hour later Lee came in and saw the message next to the phone. He saw Amanda's neat penmanship and then he noted the date, the time, and he knew the office address by heart. His heart skipped a beat as he said to no one but his self, "Amanda is pregnant again?"


	9. Half Way Through

**Sorry this chapter has taken so long to be posted; work and other commitments have been in the way. Hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**Half Way Through**

Amanda arrived at the doctor's office to meet Francine and true to her word she never mentioned anything to Lee. Francine had made it clear that she wasn't to let anyone know until Francine knew what was going on. She was scared for her friend but now was not the time for Amanda to show that fear so she gave Francine her best smile as they walked into the office together. Amanda couldn't help but think that this was one of the biggest assignments that she and Francine had worked on together.

Francine filled out all the paperwork and then the two sat and waited until she was called back. Francine looked at Amanda and said, "Here goes nothing."

"I will be right here when you get done." She said with that reassuring smile.

Amanda sat reading an overdue and outdated magazine when the door to the office opened and Constance walked in.

"Amanda, what are you doing here? Are you pregnant again?"

Not wanting to betray Francine Amanda changed the subject, "I thought you had already left town? Why are you here?"

"I had a short trip this week because I had this appointment today. I leave this afternoon; I take it Katie still refuses to go with me? You know I could force her to go with me but what would that accomplish?"

"It wouldn't do any good; out of all the people that have hurt her you did the worst thing in the world. You didn't trust her when she has given you every reason to trust her. Not to mention because she was planning on doing what you wanted she ended up hurting Philip. Now where they had total friendship and trust he needs to rebuild some of it with her. It is hard enough to be a teenager but to know your own mother doesn't trust you."

"Amanda, I just never understood how you trust so blindly with everyone all the time."

Amanda knew she had to control her temper, but Constance was getting close to helping her to unleash it. "Constance I just chose to believe and trust until I have been given a reason not to; neither Katie nor Philip has ever given me that reason."

Constance sat there for a few minutes before saying, "I just see so much of me in her from when I was her age and I know what I was like."

"Don't put that on her, from what I understood you wanted to do anything your father told you not to do; Katie wants to make you proud of her and do everything you expect of her and she is doing a great job. If you have time before you leave go by the house and just talk with her. Let her know that you are there for her no matter what."

Constance was called back and ten minutes later Francine came out and asked if she was ready to leave.

"What did she say?"

"That I do have a lot of damage but that is why she wants to see me weekly if possible."

"I am sorry Francine why would she need to see you weekly?"

"To make sure the baby is okay."

Amanda froze at the elevator door and looked at Francine and said, "Is she sure?"

Francine opened her purse to show her the ultrasound picture of a tiny baby and heartbeat, "She said that at the time of my appointment with my other doctor that I might not have been far enough along and even though there is a good amount of damage I can carry this baby full term I just have to be careful; this is going to be a high risk pregnancy."

"Then I guess the second thing you do is to get to the office and tell Lee."

"If telling Lee is the second thing I have to do; than what is the first thing?"

"Telling Effraim and I have the perfect way to let him know." Francine looked at Amanda and listened to her idea and as she reached her car she was laughing and agreeing that her idea was really a great idea. "I will definitely put that in place when we get to the office; I will see you there in a few minutes. Amanda thanks again for coming with me, I was and still am extremely scared and I am going to need all the advice and help I can get."

"Of course I will help all I can."

Lee was watching out his window as he watched Amanda come in the bull pen and set her things at her desk. He had been on pins and needles since seeing that note for Amanda and the doctor. He couldn't wait for her to officially tell him that he was going to be a father again and he knew that the new baby was going to cause some issues. He thought about how they would have to sell the house sooner than he originally thought but it just wasn't going to be enough room for five children and two adults.

Amanda walked into his office and tried to figure out what the look on his face meant. He looked as if he hadn't even noticed she had come in and sat on the corner of his desk. "Lee, are you okay sweetheart?"

"Did you get your appointments done?"

"Yes, I only had one and now I am ready to save the world."

"What was it you had to do?"

"That is need to know and when you need to know you will. Now what is on your agenda for the day?"

Lee dropped the subject and told her what was going on and what he was waiting for and from whom, "You know, Amanda, why won't you tell me where you were today?"

"Why do you want to know? Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you; I am just curious, we don't have secretes from one another and I was just wondering what you were up to before you came in today."

"I ran into Constance and had a talk with her and told her to go talk to her daughter."

"Where did you see her?"

"Lee, you will know everything when you need to know; just know that for now everything is fine and you will know soon I am assuming." She said as she saw Francine and Effraim walking toward Lee's office and not even waiting to be told to come in.

Effraim looked at Lee and said, "Hot damn she did it and I helped!"

Lee looked at the two in front of him and then to his wife and then asked, "Could you clarify for me please because I was already in the middle of a confusing conversation and I only have so many in me a day." He said as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Show him Francine."

Francine handed over a file folder and as he opened the folder he saw an ultrasound picture and it took him a minute to put it together that it was Francine and Effraim having a baby. "I take it that besides congratulations you need a reassignment?"

"Yes, I will need more than that; the doctor said it would be an extremely high risk pregnancy, because I have a lot of damage from the explosion a couple years ago. I am going to have weekly checkups and I may even have to be put on bed rest after a while. I have to very careful these first few months." Francine explained.

"Okay, then as of this second you are on desk duty and you can help Amanda with some of her classes if she needs you for that. That shouldn't be too hard should it?"

"Well, Lee I was thinking," Amanda said, "that maybe she could still handle the Q cases just not out in the field. She would still be in charge and over things just not out in the field; give her a few agents to work with her for the field work. What do you think about that?"

Lee looked at Francine and saw that she thought it was an idea that had merit. He knew that she would go insane if she had to teach some of the classes. "Francine, what do you think of her idea? Would you prefer to do it Amanda's way or help teach the classes?"

"I love Amanda's idea Lee definitely Amanda's idea." She said in no uncertain terms to be misunderstood.

"Okay, but until I get you some agents then your case load is restrictive to computer checks and phone leads is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well then I will start the paperwork to have you on restrictive duty and the first sign of you trying to go into a case with guns blazing you will be teaching all the classes."

"She won't! I won't!" The three agents in the room all answered in unison making Lee raise his eyebrows and shake his head.

When Francine and Effraim had went to spread the joyous news around, Lee looked at Amanda and said, "Was that your appointment this morning; going with Francine?"

"Yes, why?"

"I saw the note the other day and thought you were having another baby and was just waiting to tell me after seeing the doctor and when you didn't I thought you might be planning to tell me in a more romantic setting considering how I found out about the twins; along with the whole family."

Amanda knew she was going to have to tell him, but she didn't know how. "Lee I think the twins were our only shot at children are you okay with that?"

"I don't want you to think that I want a football team for a family, but I have thought about us having one more."

"Four children aren't enough for you Stetson?"

Laughing and pulling her close to him he said, "Four children is plenty, Amanda, trust me."

"Lee I was lucky to even get pregnant with the twins. I know I should have told you, but we had just gotten married and had never even talked about children. I thought you would be happy with the boys almost grown and out of the house instead of bringing in more kids; but the doctors in California told me that I had a one in a billion chance of getting pregnant and carrying a baby. They told me that I had a 30 percent chance of surviving a pregnancy to term."

"You mean you had a 70 percent chance of dying if you carried a baby to term and delivery?"

"Yes and that was with just one child; twins lowered my chance of survival."

Lee sat down in his chair and tried to comprehend what his wife had just told him. "You mean you put your life at risk to have the twins?"

"I risk my life for my children every day I get out of bed; no different than what I was doing in this job while Philip and Jamie were growing up and listening to my lame excuses about work. I wanted us to have a child together."

"We wouldn't have been together if you had died bringing them into the world."

She picked up the picture of the twins that sat on his desk and asked him, "Would you rather of had me abort them so you knew I would be okay?"

"Never; but I would of liked to have known the full story."

"If I had told you the full story you would have done nothing but blame yourself and made me live in a plastic bubble."

Lee looked at her and through a half ass grin and said, "Amanda, where would I have gotten a plastic bubble?"

Without missing a beat Amanda said, "Leatherneck of course." She then turned and walked from his office to her desk to begin work while Lee sat at his desk and laughed; not so much that it was funny just more to the fact it could have been true.

Three weeks later had Amanda picking Jamie up after his summer of science and listening with full interest as he told her about the field trips and experiments he had gotten to perform and how everything he had worked on would be reported to his guidance counselor and he would get credit for his work.

"That is terrific sweetheart. I am glad that you enjoyed your time at the University. Do you think is one that you would like to attend after high school?"

"That is a couple years away but it is a big contender; it also has a fantastic photography program. I can major in political science and minor in photography."

"You can do anything your heart gets set on honey. You can do whatever you want when you grow up."

Jamie sat and then thought now was as good as a time as any to ask, "Do you think I could work at the Agency when I get older?"

Amanda was sure her heart had stopped momentarily after Jamie had asked his question. When she went to answer all she could say was, "Jamie, do you even have a real concept of what we do there?"

"I know that you and Lee do your part to make this place better for us to live in and I want to make a difference too."

"This isn't like a family grocery store; it really isn't a family business."

"Then please tell me what it really like and let me see if it changes my idea."

Amanda glanced at her son and saw he was very serious and she did want to talk with him, but she felt that this was a talk Lee needed to have and so she turned the Jeep around and headed to the office. Walking in the Georgetown foyer with Jamie next to her she gave her password, took her badge and asked for a visitor badge as well.

The closet elevator opened and Jamie's jaw dropped opened as his mother ushered him in and then pushed the required button to get to the lower level.

"Why does it feel we are going down?"

"We are; going to the bull pen and then to Lee's office."

Mrs. Marston had called Lee's office to give him the heads up that Mrs. Stetson was bringing a visitor with her and he resembled the woman quite a bit. Lee looked to his monitors and saw Amanda and Jamie in the elevator. His first thought was that something was wrong. The kids had been to the Agency before but only up to the Q.

A number of eyes looked on as Amanda walked over to Lee's office and in with Jamie and then closed the blinds. "Ask him, Jamie; ask Lee what you asked me in the car."

"Will you please tell me what Mom and your jobs are really like?"

Lee looked at Amanda and she just sat and nodded her head.

"Do you mean now or what it was like before I became an administrator?"

"Before."

"For me I wasn't good at school like you; I was more physical and when I got kicked out of college again, I had to find something and well I found Harry V. Thornton or rather he found me. He had done some research on students at the school and saw that I was athletic, fit in the crowds, was known but not overly so. He asked me if I wanted to change the world. I told why not I wasn't doing anything else. I went through training and found people stronger, more intelligent, and less cocky than me. I got a few assignments, boring things, but important things. I moved my way up and proved myself. I have been shot, tortured, beaten, kidnapped, left for dead, and been in the hospital so close to death that I prayed it would come because I hurt so badly. I lost friends and watched them die, some even died in my place because while I was saving the world, they were saving me. This is not an easy job; it is dangerous and scary. Why did you want to know this?"

"Why did you get mom in it then if it is so bad?"

"I never said it was a bad job and well your mother never listens to anything I say. I tried for her not to be in this business, because whether she knows it or not from the very first case I felt responsible for her and not only in this job."

"Is it any safer now for you two?"

"No it isn't. I spent a lot of years making enemies all over the world; and your mother help make a few of her own as she worked with me. She is just as known and in this business you use what you know and the enemies know we have a family and if they had to they would use you or your siblings to get to us if they felt they had to."

Lee sat and waited for more questions but none came and Jamie looked at his mom and said, "Right now at this moment nothing has changed for me. Can we go home now; I want to see the twins and Katie."

Amanda shook her head and asked Jamie to wait outside the door at her desk for her. He sat down and looked at all the pictures of him and Philip and the twins that sat there. He knew he wanted it to be a better place for his siblings too and his mind was made up then and there. He was going to be a top agent at the Agency when he was older.

"Amanda, do I want to know what this is all about or should I already know?"

"He wants to be an agent."

"Are you kidding me; I thought he was leaning toward being a doctor or photographer?"

"I guess those will be the stress relief in his life; it doesn't look like what you told him made a huge difference; if anything it made him want it more."

"It will be all right; he is a teenage boy his job choices will change like his underwear; I wouldn't worry about it."

"I hope not, but I can't really tell him he can't do it without sounding like a hypocrite now can I?"

"No I guess you can't. That is at least six years away; I am sure he will change his mind."

"I hope so; will you be home for dinner?"

"Not tonight, mission tonight."

"Okay be careful; I love you."

"Love you too. Don't you have court tomorrow?"

"Yes, Lee I do and I have talked to my lawyer here and he thinks we are going to be fine and get these other two charges thrown out. See you in the morning."

Amanda and Jamie left and as they rode home Jamie didn't ask any more questions about the Agency, but he was full of questions about what had been going on and if she had heard from Philip. Amanda and Jamie fell into a settled conversation of safer topics and then before they knew it they were home and the twins and Katie attacked and took his attention away.

Amanda thought about the past six months and everything that had happened and she could only begin to wonder how the rest of the year was going to play out. Philip would be home at the end of July and then school would be starting, then birthdays, then school breaks, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then back to a new year. Why do they seem to go by faster as we get older she thought to herself as she stood to make dinner.


	10. July Heat

**July Heat**

July was hot in more ways than one for the Stetson/King family. Lee had made sure that he had everything in place for his vacation to start at the beginning of the month and was leaving for the night at the Agency when he saw Francine coming toward him and looking way too serious.

"Francine, I do not want to hear any bad news at the eleventh hour before my vacation starts. I have three weeks of uninterrupted family time. I have already forgotten what the twins look like."

"They look like you and Amanda. No I was just trying to find my husband because it seems that someone in his department made a mistake and I am going to take care of it for you because I know that you are leaving and that makes hey, who did you put in charge over field work?"

"Well, not someone who is on a high risk pregnancy? Billy is filling in this week, Jackson is helping next week and the last week is Amanda because she only has two weeks of vacation."

"Amanda? Does she have the clearance to run this department?"

"Yes or I wouldn't of been able to get her approved to do it. It will be fine; she has you and Billy here if she needs help."

"Okay, oh there he is now he is really going to get it; I hate it when I have to clean up his mess."

"Go get him girl, have a nice three weeks without me." Lee headed for the elevator and he felt the stress leave him as he hit the button to wait for the closet elevator. He even thought he would talk with Jamie about his career choices again; which didn't seem to be changing after their talk in his office a few weeks ago.

The drive home was pleasant and peaceful he had never felt more relaxed since those first few hours of when he and Amanda were married. Philip would be home next week and he had planned for the two of them to go out and do some things together; that was if he could get him away from that girlfriend of his. He was dreading the phone bill when it came in. Katie and Philip had been burning up the phone lines; not to mention the girl Jamie meet at his science experience that summer. Lee couldn't even remember her name and all Lee wanted was a home cooked meal, his family and a chance to play catch up. It seemed that here lately he was spending more time in the office than at home and he really didn't like that in the least bit. He was thinking that a change was needed but he wasn't sure what the changes could be; three weeks at home should clear his head and figure things out.

He walked in to find to see Amanda cooking dinner, Katie on the phone, Jamie reading a book on technology, and the twins engrossed in a movie. No one really noticed that he had even walked in and it wasn't until he cleared his throat that anyone did take notice.

"Lee, what are you doing home I thought you had a mission tonight?"

"No my three weeks started forty minutes ago. I am not leaving this house unless I have to for the at least the next three days." He said as he kissed his wife as each twin sat on a foot and hugged his leg.

"And as for you two," he said bending down, "you get to hang out with Daddy for the next three weeks what do you say to that?"

Both the twins busted out in giggles as Lee picked them up and began to tickle them in turn. Katie hung up the phone and said, "Well, I get you for a week then, mom said she would be home next Sunday and I have to return home."

Lee hugged the girl and said, "It wouldn't be different if I was you father you know that right? She would still make you live with her; you are her whole world." When Lee saw the look in her eyes he continued on to say so only she could hear him, "Not to mention you are a big part of my world."

Katie smiled and hugged him back she loved him and she knew he loved her as did his wife who looked at him and mouthed the words, "Good move, Stetson."

"I mean I know that you and Amanda have rules just like Mom but it seems like you guys are more understanding about me and Philip; why is that?"

Amanda answered first since she saw that her husband was being assaulted by two year olds and not winning the battle. "Katie we trust you because you two have never given us a reason not to as far as I know. You remember what your mom said to you when she came by before she left? She was going to ease up, but she more than likely wants you home because she has just spent the summer without you."

"Hey you two let me up so I can go shower and change my clothes so when we wrestle I don't ruin my suit." Lee pulled the twins off him and handed one to Amanda and one to Katie. Jamie was so engrossed in his book that he hadn't even spoken to Lee.

"Hey, what are you reading that is so interesting?" Lee asked on his way past Jamie.

"It is a book on computers and the latest technology."

"Well I hope at some point in the next three weeks we get to spend some time together outside of books and technology."

"Sure, Dad no problem" Jamie said as Lee messed his hair up as he walked by.

Lee stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, dried off, and put on his shorts and tee shirt. He learned that usually one or both of the twins were in his room or bed when he came from the shower lately so getting dressed in his room was out of the question. Tonight was no different; he emerged from the bathroom to see Matt sitting on his bed with around fifteen books scattered.

"Buddy, what is all this on my bed?"

"I go to read you." Matt said smiling.

"Okay, Buddy what are you going to read to me?"

Holding out Peter Rabbit he said, "This is a bad bunny book."

"Okay, go for it." Lee perched himself next to Matt on the bed and Matt opened the book and began to read to his father. Lee laughed at the way Matt told the story from memory and in parts made some things completely up.

Amanda came up the stairs to check on the two of them and to let them know it was time to eat, but what she found was the two of them both sound asleep snuggled together. She covered them and kissed them both and walked out of the room.

Sometime in the middle of the night Lee woke up to find Matt next to him and Amanda not in the bed and the house was hot. He tried to think about why the house would be so hot and he ruled out a fire because he knew the smoke detectors were all working. He got up to find Amanda in the basement yelling out words that made him wonder if it was really his wife.

"Amanda, what are you doing down here?" He asked as he came up behind her. She jumped and blinded him with the flashlight she held in her hand.

"Well, if you really want to know I am trying to see if we blew a fuse for some reason because the lights and air are not working and after you and Matt fell asleep I let you sleep and then after dinner I played with them and about twenty minutes after they went to bed I was just going to let Matt sleep with you tonight and I was reading to relax some and then BAM the lights went out and the air went off and I have been down here for over an hour trying to get this working again. Lee do you know that it is really hot in this house right now?"

"Amanda it is a wondered you said all that without passing out from lack of oxygen. Here did you find anything? Is it just our house or is it the whole neighborhood?"

"I never thought to look to see if anyone else was out, I guess I should have then maybe I wouldn't have had to be down here so long."

"Come on let's go see what is going on and check on everyone."

They came up from the basement to find the older kids sitting on the couch complaining to each other about how hot it was in the house and trying to come up with ideas on how to get cool.

"What about the tree house? Could we sleep in there?"

"Sure if you take the twins and make sure they won't fall out of the tree house." Lee said as he came into the room in front of Amanda and walked to the front door to check the neighbors. It was the middle of the night but Lee noticed that Buck still had lights and he could hear the hum of air conditioners on the block.

"I don't think it is a neighborhood thing, honey. I think it might just be us. We should still call the electric company and try to get them out here tomorrow."

"Okay, but what do we do tonight it is too hot in this house for us to sleep in."

"Well I think the kids were on the right idea, let them sleep in the tree house and we can pitch the tent for us and the twins in the back yard."

"Lee it is too late to do that can we just go to a hotel for the night?"

"There isn't an open hotel around here with all the things going on for the holiday. Can you call Dotty and ask if at least if the kids can come over?"

"We have no electricity; the phone won't work." She said as she had one hand on her hip as he other wiped the sweat from her face. Jennie came in and went to Lee and said, "Daddy, my room is hot and I need it cold again. Make it cold please."

He picked her up and went toward the door and said, "We are going to call Grandma from Daddy's car, Princess."

"Oh, Daddy it is colder out here." Jennie said as they reached Lee's car and he started it and turned the air on to help cool her off.

"Dotty, hello, it is Lee. No everything is okay well the electric went off and we were wondering if we could bring the kids over until we get someone over here to look at it. I know you don't have a lot of room to spare."

"Lee, don't be silly we have room for all of you. Just get your stuff ready and come over; by the time you get here I will have a place for everyone."

"We have Katie still too."

"No problem; see you all in a while."

"Okay Princess we are all going to Grandmas place." Lee looked over at his daughter to find her with her thumb in her mouth and sound asleep again. He picked her up, carried her in the house and as soon as the heat of the house hit them she was awake and fussing in his arms again. "Too hot Daddy; too hot."

"Princess, we have to get your things ready so we can go to Grandmas. Just give Mommy and Daddy time to get your things ready and get your brother. Sit her on the couch, Daddy has the windows open and we will leave soon."

Jamie came down and said, "I have my stuff Dad I can sit with her."

"Thanks, I am going to help your mom."

Jamie nodded and picked Jennie up and carried her outside where a nice summer breeze was beginning to blow by and as soon as the cooler air hit her she calmed down. A few minutes Katie came down with her stuff and Matt in her other arms. He seemed to be the only one that could sleep in that heat. He only stirred enough to put his arms around Katie as Amanda handed him to her. She stood next to the open window with Matt and he settled back into her arms. Lee and Amanda came down and loaded the Jeep and then put the twins in their seats and Amanda drove with the twins and Katie to her mother's while Lee and Jamie followed in the Corvette.

"Amanda, you know you never have to call and get permission to come and stay here just call and let me know you are coming. What could have made your electric go out?"

"Mother I have no idea, Lee said it looked like it was just us so I am thinking that we might just need new fuses, but even with the flashlight I couldn't tell if they were blown. I'm hoping that is all it is; we can't really afford to have the house rewired and even if we sold it we would have to do it if that was the problem."

Lee and Jamie came in a few minutes after the girls and twins and Jamie sat on his grandmother's couch and said, "It feels like heaven in here. Even with the electric going out the house seemed to heat up fast. You know it is summer when you can't stand it without air."

Lee, Amanda, and Dotty looked at the kids and just shook their heads and laughed. They all remembered the time when the summer belonged to long hot days and longer cool baths to get the dirt of the day off of you.

"I have half a mind James King to have everything but the air fixed after a statement like that. We grew up in a time where that was a luxury not a necessary element of life growth."

"Mom, please tell me you are joking; Jennie needs the air, you saw how she turned into a terror in the heat of the night and she is the nicest kid you have."

"Jamie, how are you going to survive in a jungle if you have to have air?" Lee asked.

"Lee why in the world would my grandson need to be in a jungle in the first place?"

"Mother I think we should just get to bed. Where do you want us?"

Dotty began to give out sleeping assignments, Jamie and Katie were to be in the living room, Amanda, Lee and Jennie would be in the guest room and Matt would sleep in her room with her and Kirk. After making sure everyone was where they needed to be and had everything Dotty turned out the lights and took Matt with her and the sound of the air hummed quietly as everyone feel into a peaceful and cool sleep.

Two days later the family was back in their home and it was a blessing that the fuses were in need of changing; it took two days because Lee couldn't get the right kind until then. He installed the new fuses, checked the lights, cleaned the food out of the fridge, cleaned the fridge, made a list for the store and turned the air back on. He left to go get the family so they could go to the store and then by the time they returned the house would be cooled off enough to make dinner and relax at home.

The house was cool as they came in and Amanda looked at Lee and said, "Oh, Lee the fridge; I do not look forward to opening it up and having to clean it out."

"Amanda, despite what history has shown you about me I did grow up on many Air Force bases and all of them had KP duty with my name on it. I already cleaned it out and then clean the fridge itself for the new food to be put in it." To emphasize his point he opened the fridge and Amanda stood and tried very hard, but failed, to close her gaping mouth from shock.

"Mrs. Stetson, I am hurt." Lee placed his hand on his heart and then couldn't hold in the laughter any longer.

"Do you blame me for being shocked? The first time I saw your apartment you had penicillin growing almost everywhere. It was revolting, Mr. Stetson."

They put the new groceries in the fridge and then began to make dinner; Lee helped as best as he could with two kids hanging on his every step. "How in the world do you do this every day with them hanging on you?"

"They see me every day; they don't always get to see you so when they do they cling. They will stop after a few days; hopefully before your vacation is over. That is going to be hard on them."

"What do you mean it is going to be hard on them?" Lee asked as he carried them back into the living room with their toys and back to the kitchen to finish talking with his wife.

Katie and Jamie spoke up in unison, "Even I know the answer to that." They laughed as they stopped talking.

"Well, will someone please let me in on the information?" Lee asked.

Amanda looked at the teens and said, "Who wants to tell him the big secret?"

Katie said, "I will; Lee there are twenty-four hours in a day and for about eighteen of them if not more you are at work. That doesn't leave much time for the twins. Amanda and the boys, for the most part, understand your job and know how to divide you among their time; the twins don't have that attention span. As much as you wanted to help Amanda make dinner they wanted you and you put them away from you. Does it look like they are playing?"

Lee looked into the den and saw the two little heads peaking around the corner staring at him, looking like they were waiting for him to come back in from the kitchen.

Amanda looked at him and said, "I know how to cook without surveillance on me, go and play with them, watch a movie with them or read. They need you." She pushed him toward the twins and they giggled as they each grabbed a hand and Lee was pulled away up the stairs with them to their room and all anyone in the kitchen heard was tiny giggles and a hearty laughter that made them all smile.

The day of the Fourth of July had been just as hot as the days leading up to it if not hotter Amanda thought as she watched the twins and Katie playing in the backyard with a sprinkler and plastic kiddie pool. Lee and Jamie were washing the Jeep and Corvette in the driveway. Amanda had watched them together for a little while; it was one of the rare occasions Lee was shirtless around the house.

Amanda heard them finishing up and coming into the backyard as she went into the house to get some more tea. Amanda knew that Jamie had been asking Lee a ton of questions about anything that wasn't classified and able for him to talk about.

Amanda took in the site of her family as they relaxed and played and wished things could always be this happy. It seemed to feel like lately that anytime they began to feel safe and secure something uprooted it. She hated always being on edge.

"Daddy; you have a boo-boos." Jennie said as she pointed to different places that Lee had scars from almost twenty years in the intelligence community. Lee's face cringed a little as he felt feather lite fingers touch and try to kiss his boo-boos better.

"Did the monsters give them to you?" Jennie asked.

"Yes, Princess, the monsters gave me the boo-boos." Lee said with a bit of something that sounded like regret. She had never heard Lee sound like he regretted his line of work before; he believed in the job even if it meant dying to do it, because as he said before someone had to do it.

"Daddy; why didn't you use you badge on the monsters?" Jennie asked.

"Princess, why would I use my badge?"

"You told me that it was a special badge and that as long as you had it monsters couldn't hurt me. Well, Daddy if it works on my monsters it can work on yours. Then they can't give you any more boo-boos."

Lee leaned down and hugged his daughter until she declared that she could no longer breathe. He let her go and she went back to play in her pool with her brother. Lee stood and told Amanda he was going to take a shower and then he would start the grill. He climbed the stairs and into the shower letting the water run off of him with his tears, pain, and heartache of the last twenty years of his life. He felt a lot of things when he would think about his job but regret was never one not even when his daughter kissed his boo-boos away. He touched every scar he had endured that he could reach and to his surprise he remembered who gave him every one of those scars. He saw their faces as if it was the moment of impact. He saw each blow and every shot. Every hospital, surgery, doctor and nurse; the man in the mirror facing him seemed to shock him as his expression looked cold and hard.

Lee walked out of the bathroom and found Jennie on his bed and she looked at him with eyes that he knew was his, "Daddy, did I make you sad?"

"No; you make me happy every day I get to be around you."

"You were crying I made you sad."

"No, sometimes when a grown up remembers something they cry, it doesn't always mean that they are sad."

"Like when you tell me stories about Grandma Jennifer and Grandpa Matt?"

"Just like that, Princess; now how about we go make some dinner. Daddy is starving." Lee began to tickle her and then after a few minutes they went to have an early supper and then watch the fireworks. When they got home Lee noticed that the lights in the kitchen were on and he alerted Amanda and she keep the kids in the car as they went to check it out. They walked in the kitchen door to find Philip standing in the kitchen making him a sandwich of leftovers.

Philip dropped the knife in his hand to the counter as his parents held their guns on him, "I promise I replace the mustard, don't shoot." He held up his hand to show surrender.

"Philip, sweetheart, you scared us to death. I thought your team wasn't going to be back until next week. Why didn't you call?" Amanda asked as she pulled her oldest son into her arms and hugged him and gave him a kiss.

"Mom, we kind of didn't know until this afternoon. We lost our first game this morning and since it was the summer play offs we were out. We still did really well though we didn't lose until the play offs. Not the best time to be off your game I guess." He said laughing at the situation. "We were just close enough that Coach Williams brought us home. When I didn't any answer I figured you were at the fireworks and I just used my key. Where is every one?"

Amanda slapped her forehead, "Lee I left them all in the Jeep. I'll go get them."

"That is okay Mom I'll do it." Philip said like he was fooling his mother for one minute.

Amanda and Lee listened as the four kids in the car all squealed for four different reasons. Jamie was the first out of the car and ran to welcome Philip, Katie let the twins out of their seats as they ran to him and then Jamie herded the twins into the house as Katie went into Philip's arms and he held her and her him.

"If this is what a person's first love feels like I don't think I ever want to know about any other." Katie said as she pulled Philip into a welcome home kiss.

"I missed you Katie, I hope you believe me."

"I do, I hope you know that I meant what I said on the phone too. I do love you and I want us to stay together but I do not want to go any farther than where we are right now. That hasn't changed."

"Katherine Rachel Amille, I never want you to change. I just want you and if that means being a virgin forever than I will be one forever, but only for you."

The two walked in the house hand in hand and no one made light of the fact that Lee and Amanda had listened in to the conversation. It was never brought up again and three days later Katie was home with her mother and the kids spent the rest of the summer going to the pool, the park, and getting ready for August to start school again.

Philip was entering his senior year, Katie was a junior, and Jamie was moved forward a grade due to his grades and summer science so he would also be a junior. Philip was the proudest Amanda thought when she went to register them and was told that if she and Jamie wanted to move forward.

"Just means we get to hang in college together a lot sooner, bro." Philip even made Jamie a cake that night to celebrate.

Amanda and Lee watched as the three celebrated what Philip declared, "Here to the best school year ever!"


	11. August Heat

**August Nights**

Lee sat in his office waiting for Billy to arrive so the two friends could have dinner together before going home to their families for the night. While he waited he watched Francine and Effraim coming toward his office and his mind instantly went into Field Chief mode; when they came to his office together it was never a good thing and now from the looks on their faces it wasn't much better.

"Are we disturbing you?" Francine asked as they entered.

"No, I was just looking over some reports while I waited for Billy; we are having dinner tonight. What is on your mind?"

"Lee," Effraim started and then began to clear his throat continued, "I was offered a job last week and after talking it over with Francine I have decided to take it. I would be over the Fabrication and Surveillance teams for the Los Angeles office. I need to be there by the end of the month; so here is our letters of resignations for this office."

Lee sat and looked at his friends and fellow agents and didn't know how to respond then finally he looked at Francine and said, "What will you be doing?"

"I am working with my doctor to find another specialist in California, but I think until after the baby is born that I might just take a leave and then see where it goes. I will be closer to my family out there and that helps."

"I see that your last day here is going to be next Friday. Then all I guess that is left to say is congratulations and keep in touch; you know Amanda will want a ton of pictures of that baby."

"Oh, I expect her to be there when the baby is born so you better give her the time off to be."

"I'll see what I can do Francine, but you know the government, nothing is planned but the bad things." Lee laughed and gave Effraim and firm handshake and Francine a big hug. "Well, I will see you two in the morning for the briefings and I will get stated on your replacements. Have a good night."

Not long after they left Billy came in and asked Lee if he was ready to go; Lee just shook his head and said, "You have no idea my friend, you have no idea."

During dinner Billy brought up Lee's comment as they left the office and asked him, "Things getting to you, Scarecrow?"

"Billy, you know that I am no longer Scarecrow and I haven't been since I took over for you. I am just plain ole Lee Stetson and I am okay with that. Things are getting to me; a lot of changes have taken place this year and it doesn't seem to be looking up."

"Is everything okay between you and Amanda?"

"No, Billy, family life is just fine; except that my children have no idea who I am and when I am home they cling to me like a solider going back to the war at any moment; which isn't entirely off base with this job. It used to be a challenge for me, even after I took over for you; now it seems like with the wall coming down and communications really opening that I lost my passion for this job. I still respect the job and I know it still has to be done, but I keep thinking it is time to pass the torch and the person I wanted to pass it to will be leaving at the end of the month."

"Who is leaving?"

"Francine and Effraim, he is taking a job in the LA office and she is will be coming out of the field until the baby is born, I don't blame her."

The two men sat in silence for a few more minutes and then Billy said, "I guess then a promotion isn't really in your line of thinking is it, Lee?"

"A promotion; how is that even possible? The only place left for me to go in the building is your position and I do not want to run the whole damn show."

"I thought you might say that but Lee I am beyond ready to retire and it is time so at the end of the year I am done. I am more than ready to sleep in late and spend time alone with my wife and grandchildren. The only thing now is to find someone to take over for me; obviously it isn't going to be you; from the way you were just talking you want out too."

"Yeah, I think I really do, but I haven't told Amanda yet. I know she loves her job and I won't ask her to leave, no matter how much I don't want her out there alone. She is fabulous though she will work great with anyone."

"What about Amanda as your replacement?"

Lee thought about that and then he said, "Honestly, she was one of my first thoughts and I had decided to bring it up to her but at the same time one of the reasons I want out is to see her and the kids more and I know I will see her less if she takes my place."

Billy nodded and he knew that what was really bothering Lee; it wasn't leaving the Agency it was that his wife wouldn't be leaving with him. The two men sat discussing other topics than the Agency and then when they were done with dinner they said they would see each other the next day and headed home to their families.

Lee walked into his house and expected it to be quite and calm at that time of night only to find that Amanda was in the midst of a teenage and twin battle royal. The twins were fighting over a toy the boys were fighting over the phone and Amanda seemed to be fighting with all of them. She looked like she would rather be with a room full of armed KGB agents then the four children she gave birth to at that moment. Lee decided to rescue her.

"Enough!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Your mother doesn't go out every day to do what she does to come home and find her house in more political disarray than the actual government. Philip and Jamie you know the times you can be on the phone and for how long; nothing about that has changed and so there should be no fighting and I don't care why; it is over is that understood?"

"Yes sir," they said in unison and both put the phone down and went over to the family room and took a seat and waited for Lee to deal out their punishments. Lee then turned his attention to the twins who still in spite of his loud voice was still tugging and pulling on the toy.

"Matthew and Jennifer you will bring me that toy now and stop this fighting." The four eyes glued to their father stood with the toy between them and neither one moved. Instead Matt thought he could talk his way out and said, "Daddy, Jennie. . . "

"I don't want to hear it young man I want you both to bring me that toy now." Lee's tone softened but his meaning was not lost on the twins; together they walked over and handed the toy to their father and followed suit and sat down on the couch next to the older boys.

"As for you, Amanda, I want you to come over here, give me a kiss, go upstairs and take a nice long QUITE bubble bath while I deal with our four children."

Amanda didn't argue she followed Lee's orders without thinking twice about it. She thought how nice it was to have him around in the evenings to help deal with the family turmoil she usually got the brunt of. Yes she thought as she cracked the bathroom window and sunk into her tub of bubbles; it was defiantly nice to have Lee around the house at night.

After Amanda had went up the stairs Lee turned his attention back to the four children sitting ironically in birth order on the couch. 'Might as well start at the beginning' he thought to himself.

"Philip, I know that being the oldest is a pain in the ass but you needed to help set an example for the others. You have outgrown your silly name calling of your bother and have actually come to his defense and formed a really great friendship from what I have observed. Am I wrong in my assessment because if I am please let me know son."

"No Dad you are not wrong. I have changed and grown up a lot lately and I shouldn't have been fighting over something as stupid as the phone. It was Jamie's time to be on it and he was at least doing something for school; I just wanted to talk to Katie a little longer tonight. I wanted to know how her first day went; I didn't see her all day at school because all of our classes are in different wings this year."

"I understand that but your mother and I established that schedule to help accommodate the two of you and your growing needs. We even installed a second line so I could get my calls from work without disrupting this phone line. Now Jamie, do you have anything you want to add?"

"I think that over all I was just defending myself but since I was still involved in the actual fight over the phone I do understand if I have an equal punishment as Philip in all of this." He sat and looked down at the floor. He really hated to have his parents mad at him and right now his Dad was really mad at all of them.

"Okay then Philip and Jamie no phone for a week. Any one calling can leave a message on the machine or with us and we will decide if you can call them back and for how long the conversation will last is that understood to the both of you? I am tired of hearing about petty arguments from your mother. You two boys will be in college soon and fighting is not how you resolve matters."

Lee sent the two older boys to their room and turned his attention to the younger children sitting on the couch holding each other's hand. "Look at me you two, why were you two fighting over the toy?"

"We wanted the phone too to call you Daddy." Jennie said.

"Daddy we wanted to call you. We wanted you home again."

Lee looked at the "toy" he was actually holding in his hand and it was the receiver from the old phone from his apartment he found in a box while on vacation and gave it to them to call him whenever they wanted. "Why did you keep fighting when Mommy told you two to stop fighting over the phone?"

"Philip and Jamie didn't stop." Jennie said. Lee looked up to see the boys standing in the door frame listening to what their little sister had just said and Lee shook his head from side to side. "I think I am going to add to your punishment boys, you two explain to the twins what they did wrong and decide their punishment."

Lee stood and headed toward the stairs he heard Philip and Jamie pick the twins up and set them on their laps and began to tell them a story of a worm brain and dork face; Lee thought the punishment fit the crime. He found his wife coming out of the bathroom and he looked at her and all he could say was, "Amanda we need to talk."

Two weeks flew by faster than anyone at the Agency thought it could. "Why is it that the two weeks before we got married seemed to drag out but Francine and Effraim's final two weeks here feel like they just told me yesterday?" Lee asked Billy and Amanda as they sat in Lee's office waiting for the couple to come in to finalize their paperwork and say goodbye.

"That is because you were ready to start having sex again." Amanda said and to her husband's shock she didn't even blush that she made the comment in front of Billy.

"And you weren't; if memory serves me correctly it had been a number of years for you; a hell of a lot longer than it had been for me." Lee countered.

Facing her husband dead on she said, "How long do you really think it had been for me Lee?"

Before Lee had a chance to answer her question the departing couple walked in and Francine looked like she had been crying and Effraim looked a little down as well.

"Hey, why do you look so glum? It isn't like I am sending you out on a milk run before you go. Tonight is all about having fun. Now if you two are done here we are ready to get out of this place and celebrate."

Francine put on a big smile and said, "Well, you know me, the life of the party. Just give me a bar stool and a mark and I'll have them talking in no time." She smiled but it never quite made it to her big blue eyes and that made Amanda sad.

She walked over to Francine and said, "Come on lady; let's show these big bad agents what us little ole women can do. Show them how real agents party." Francine laughed and just nodded and began to laughed as they walked out of the office and toward the elevator with the three men laughing at the sight of the two people least likely to have a friendship walking in front of them.

"Scarecrow, don't even say a word; your wife can charm any person when she puts her mind to it."

"Don't I know it Billy, don't I know it."

Later that night Amanda laid in bed and faced Lee. She knew he was sleeping she could tell by his breathing. She laid thinking about their relationship and what he had said earlier about her sex life. While it was true that her main partners in life were her two husbands; but that didn't mean she hadn't been with others.

While sex in marriage was always the better option she knew first hand that after sleeping with someone with whom she wasn't married, she knew she would rather be married. Even though the boys were not part of their plan, sex with Joe was exciting. It was new and Joe made her feel sexy even though she didn't really feel like she knew what she was doing all the time. He gave her time to learn what she liked and what she didn't and what they did really well together. Sex was not the problem in their marriage; their marriage was the problem in their sex.

She knew that her main fear at first with Lee was she knew about his past; he had no problems flaunting it in front of her when they first met. He loved to watch her blush as he would talk about his dates and what they didn't go out to do for the evenings. She also thought a lot of it was just a bunch of bologna. She had no doubt that Lee Stetson would have knocked her right out of her suburban housecoat if she had ever entered into a physical relationship with him in their early years. That is why his charm never really had that big of an effect on her; she knew too many frat boys that acted the same way. Over confidence had never really impressed her.

When Lee began to bring his walls down and accept her help and friendship then he began to impress her. She was still aware of his dating habits but he never brought it up around her anymore and if someone did happen to mention it in front of her he would just ignore the question or statement and leave it. It showed that he was respecting her and at first that is all she ever wanted from him.

She also had gotten a fist hand side show of all of his charms and maneuvers of his passionate side as she listened in on his little Peacock Dance a few years back. She knew that if the shoe was on the other foot he wouldn't be able to handle the situation. He wouldn't be able to sit and listen as she was wined and dined by someone else.

Amanda reached over and placed a kiss on her husband's shoulder and he rolled over and pulled her into his arms, "Want to talk about whatever you have been thinking about for the last hour? You know you hate it when I startle you when I come home or at the office; but I am not real fond of it when you watch me sleep, it wakes me up."

"I know that is why I do it." She said with a smile and kissed him.

"Want to talk?"

"I was just thinking about what you said at the office about how long it had been since I had sex before we were married. Lee, you and Joe are not the only two men I have ever slept with."

"Really; then why was it such a big deal for us to wait before we were married?"

"It wasn't after a while but I wasn't going to start it and you seemed okay to wait and I am really glad we did. I almost didn't wait when we found out about the PD2. I kept thinking that if you died then I would never know what it felt like to wake up in your arms after making love to you. I know what you thought of me in the beginning and I am okay with that."

"Amanda you couldn't even say the word sex in front of me it was always a 'thing' what was I supposed to think?"

"That a 'thing' is not a relationship; but you also thought that I was incapable of being sexually woman you met."

"That isn't entirely true Amanda. A lot of my dates ended up with med taking them home and me going home alone. I wasn't sleeping with as many woman as people thought I was, going out and inviting people over did not always lead to my bedroom. Yes I had my fair share of fun, but I wasn't as smooth and suave as I let on to be."

"Really can you count on two hands the number of women you have slept with?"

"No, but I can count on one hand the number of really important woman I have slept with. Is the number really important?"

"No the number isn't important, Lee, but you need to understand that my number isn't two."

"No Amanda I can't, for me not to be curious about your past then for my brain it has to be two and only two. I can live with two." Lee pulled his wife close and made her really grateful for the only one she ever wanted to think about again.

The last week in August was warmer than usual and reminded Amanda of the times her and her best friends would go out at night for night swimming. Her best friend had a pool and August nights were their favorite time of the summer to go swimming. Amanda was sitting in the backyard waiting for Lee to get home from a mission and she heard someone coming out of the house. She sat and watched as Philip tried to quietly shut the door, thinking his mother was in bed and knowing his dad wasn't home yet and with any luck he would be home before either would know the difference.

As much as she wanted to stop him she thought she had a good idea where he was going and would speak to him about this when he got home. An hour later Lee came in the backyard and found his wife sitting on the back porch at the picnic table reading over some file she had brought home.

"Penny for your thoughts; is that a tough assignment you need help with?"

"No, just some homework from some of my agents and waiting for our son to get home."

"Or son to get home; which son? Amanda it is already after midnight."

Shaking her head she said, "Lee, I am well aware of what time it is; it is Philip and I think he went over to Katie's. She has a pool and with the heat and not being able to see her at school and her not being allowed over here as much as last year I think he is in girlfriend withdrawal. Nevertheless he didn't ask to go, he purposely snuck out of the house; he never even realized I was sitting in the yard watching him leave."

Remembering a few things from his own past he asked her, dreading the answer, "What does Katie having a pool have to do with anything?"

"Lee August is the best time for night swimming."

"Mom? Dad?" Philip turned the corner to go in the house and heard his parents talking and knew he was busted. He just got over being ground and now it looked like he was going to get grounded all over again. He just shook his head and told himself it was worth it.

"Philip, nice to see you made it home before the sun came up." Amanda said.

"Can I even get a chance to explain?" Philip asked.

"Will it change the outcome?" Amanda asked him and watched a hidden smile form on his lips.

"I doubt it, Mom."

"Then you know you are grounded for two weeks; not leaving the house for anything except school or school related activities or family activities."

"Okay, not a problem that sounds reasonable, Mom. Goodnight Mom, Dad, I love you both."

"We love you too, sweetheart." Amanda said. She and Lee sat watching their oldest son walk in and a smile came across both of their faces as they heard Philip say, "Yeah, it was worth two weeks, defiantly worth it."


	12. September Sickness

**September Sickness**

She had just been feeling so run down lately; she had no idea as to the reasons. It began around three weeks ago, but it was in her nature to not let anyone know when she didn't feel well. There were so many people that depended on her and she just couldn't let them down. She knew she would be on her own for at least another two weeks; he would be back then.

She watched as the twins sat in the living room having a snack and watching a cartoon. She loved them so much, she never thought in a million years she would see two more grandchildren. Philip and Jamie were a joy to help raise and she enjoyed the challenge of the two boys at the time they were growing.

The twins were different; she noticed that even at the age of two that they really took care of each other. They had some kind of fight everyday but like their parents; it usually was quickly forgotten. They seemed to have their own language and at times only they knew what they were talking about.

The pain in her shoulder was worse and as she went to stand to go get some medicine she fell on the floor and collapsed into darkness, her last thought was of the two in the living room. Matt went to throw his juice box in the trash and saw his grandmother sleeping on the floor. He told Jennie to be quiet that grandma was sleeping, so she sat next to her grandmother and began to rub her hair, like she would do with Jennie.

The twins looked at the table when the phone started to ring and Matt knew he wasn't to answer the phone but he didn't want to wake his grandmother so he picked the phone up, "Hi."

Lee heard Matt's voice and that funny feeling he had all day since leaving them at Dotty's came back in full force, "Matt, daddy needs to talk to Grandma." Amanda walked in and wondered what Lee had to talk to her mom for.

"Daddy, she is sleeping on the floor right now. Jennie is lying down with her."

"Sleeping I need you to wake her up, Buddy. It is real important that I talk to her." He motioned for Amanda to pick up the other line and call 911 and get it to her mother's house.

"She is really tired she won't wake up." Lee heard the little boy start to sound scared and Lee told him that a police man was on his way and to let him in, but only the police man or Daddy or Mommy.

Amanda and Lee rushed over to Dotty's apartment in record time; the EMT's and police were already there and Jennie and Matt wouldn't let them near Dotty. They flashed their badges and explained who they were and went inside and Lee took the children to the couch and told them to stay there.

Matt was yelling at them to leave his grandma alone she was sleeping. Lee was trying to calm the twins down who were very upset by what was happening and took them outside to sit inside the Corvette. When he saw Amanda come out she explained that Dotty was still unconscious and the EMT's were taking her to the hospital. Lee sat the twins in the back buckled them in and went to the hospital. They arrived at the hospital to find the ER doctor who explained that Dotty had had a heart attack, was still unconscious and as soon as they finished running all the tests they would likely prep her for surgery.

Amanda sat in the waiting room until she was told she could go and see her mother. It was two hours before that was even possible. "How did we not know she was sick?"

"Amanda, she is her daughter's mother, do you really think she would tell us that she wasn't feeling up to par? I am sure she will be fine after the tests are ran and if she has to have surgery then we will take care of her and get her back to normal. Isn't that what this family is all about, being normal?"

Amanda tried to smile and then she called the house to tell the boys where they were and what was going on. The twins were antsy and wanted to see Dotty. When Lee explained that they were old enough to see Dotty at the moment, they sat and got quite. Lee placed his arms around Amanda and then the doctor came back and said that Amanda could come back and see her mother but only briefly.

"Mother, mother it is Amanda. I am right here and so is Lee."

"Twins, where are.."

"Mother, they are with Lee in the waiting room, they are fine. They took care of you until we could get to you. Why didn't you tell me that you weren't feeling good mother?"

"I thought it was just the weather changing and my allergies; I really didn't think it was anything serious."

"Well, it is and Lee, myself, and everyone else is going to make sure you get better and we will take care of you; instead of you taking care of us. No arguments young lady, I'm not ready to lose you; I have lost so much already and I still need you, I love you Mother." Amanda tried to stop the tears but she couldn't. She had tried to be so strong she felt her mother's hand on her own and looked in her eyes as her mother whispered, "Panda, I am not done raising you or Lee yet of course I am not going anywhere."

Amanda gave her mother a kiss and said that her time was up and Dotty told the nurse to send Lee in to see her. Lee walked in the room and noticed it was like looking at Amanda on their honeymoon, he swallowed hard and walked forward. Sitting in the chair next to her he took her hand in his and thought it always seemed so strong but now it looked so small and fragile.

"Lee Matthew Stetson, I want you to know something and to understand this as well. I always thought Amanda was involved with or cared for someone at work. Little did I know it was a man that was always putting my daughter in danger, but by doing that you showed her own strength; because it takes a lot of strength to lie to your mother for as long as she did. I am so glad that it was you, you have brought more love and joy into this family; we were incomplete without you. Now I am not going anywhere, it is not my time but I know that this family has had a lot of sadness this year, I am not adding to it. Don't hide if you are scared so if you need to break down, break down here and not in front of them."

Lee was already crying when he walked in and listening to his mother in law he found he couldn't stop. He held her hand and cried and she cried with him and after a few minutes he stopped crying and said, "I love you, Dotty. Thank you for accepting me when you had more than enough reasons to reject me. Thank you for giving me the greatest joy any one person could have ever asked for. Without your daughter I would not be the man you know, I would be a shell of a person or be dead. She blessed me with a wonderful family and I am more that glad to know that you aren't going anywhere, but they are here to take you to surgery. Now when you get out we will be here waiting for you. I love you, Mom."

Dotty smiled and she knew everything was going to be fine and she asked Lee to stay with her until they took her into surgery; he never left her side and held her hand in his for as long as they would let him. Her fingers slipped from his as she was wheeled from the room. He walked the short distance to the family surgical waiting room he came in to see the twins sleeping, holding hands, Philip and Katie, holding hands, Amanda and Jamie, holding hands, and all awake seemed to be praying. All but the sleeping twins looked at him and then as he collapsed into the chair they all stood, walked to him, and surrounded him in his own grief and they all held each other.

Five hours later the doctor came in and said, "Mrs. Stetson, your mother is in recovery. It was worse than the tests lead on after we got in there; we almost twice, but she fought hard and is doing well at the moment. She is going to be here in ICU for a couple of days and then we will move her to another room for a week and then when she gets home she will have to take it easy and have round the clock care for the first two weeks and then she be able to start doing more and more every day and then we can get her back into tip top shape."

"Thank you will we be able to see her tonight?"

"Yes, but only one at a time and for only about five minutes. The nurse will let you know when it is time."

The family sat back down and Amanda was glad that Constance had come and taken the twins and let Katie stay. Lee let out the air in his lungs he had been holding longer than he needed to be. The nurse came in and said that two people could actually go back at a time but for a very short time. Amanda and Jamie went in and Jamie gasped when he say his grandmother still hooked to a machine and tubes and wires in her. He noticed the large bandage down the center of her chest and another on her right leg. He walked over and held her hand and whispered in her ear; what Amanda couldn't hear and she thought it was okay, what he had to say to her was for her not Amanda. Amanda walked over and kissed her mother and then walked Jamie back out to the waiting room and the nurse waited for the next two.

Philip stood and looking at Katie and Lee he said, "Dad will you come with me please?"

Lee nodded and stood and the two followed the nurse remembering the reaction of the last boy the nurse said, "Now she is still asleep and still hooked up to some machines but she really is just sleeping and she will be fine."

Philip nodded and assumed the speech was for him due to the look on Jamie's face when he came back into the waiting area. Even telling him still didn't prepare for what he saw. Philip almost lost his balance and swayed a little with Lee bracing him up. After a brief moment Philip gave Lee a nod that he was fine and walked over to his grandmother and without shedding a tear he said, "Grandma, I know you can hear me so don't act like you can't. I am not holding in my feelings because I am not crying, but you are still here and I will not cry until you aren't with me anymore. The doctor said you tried to leave twice, stop that, your place is here now. I will not lose you do you hear me, not now anyway. I love you, you are the second strongest woman I know and your heart is too big to give out. I will see you awake ion the morning. I love you." He leaned over and kissed his grandmother on the cheek and walked from the room leaving Lee alone with Dotty again.

"He isn't as strong as he sounds. Neither am I, besides I hadn't had a chance to tell you, I'm leaving the Agency. I told Amanda I wanted to be the one to tell you. The boys don't even know yet. It was going to be your Christmas present from me to you. Get some rest and we will be back, I love you."

The nurse watched the family leave together and then wasn't surprised when the man was back a few hours later and asked if he would be allowed to sit his mother in law's room. She said it was against policy and he said he knew that but he hated hospitals and was a rule breaker. She laughed at that and when he flashed his dimples she gave in a let him in and asked if he needed anything.

"Just for that woman in that bed to wake up and come home and let her family enjoy her for a lot more years."

"How long have you known her?"

"I have been getting to know her since 1983 and I continue to learn something from her every day; I never had a mother after the age of five until her and I am not going to stop now."

Lee came in late and left early until Dotty was out of the hospital and back at home. She had agreed to stay with Lee and Amanda at the house until Kirk was back in town; even after reaching him he couldn't get away as fast as he wanted.

"Stop fussing over me; I am going to be tired Lee. Now go into work; they won't let me keep your job if you aren't there to do it. I have Amanda and the nurse and the twins. You can play nursemaid when you get home."

Lee was walking out of the house and saw the cab with Kirk getting out and walking up and shaking hands Kirk asked, "How is she?"

"Verbally back to normal; physically she is still weak that is why we have her here, she isn't able to do stairs yet, but I think after seeing you things will get back to normal faster."

"How did this happen? She was fine when I left for Florida."

"I will let Amanda inform you of everything and I will see you when I get home tonight. Glad to have you home, Kirk."

"Glad to be home, Lee."

Kirk walked in and Jennie saw him first and yelled, "Papa Kirk, Grandma is on the couch come on, come on, come on." She encouraged not that he needed any. Kirk sat next to her and leaned in to kiss her eyes while she laid there with them closed. Without opening her eyes she said, "Don't you ever leave me again, do you understand?"

"Never, if I have another conference you are coming with me; even if we have to bring the twins."

Dotty pulled him in close and hugged as tight as she could without busting her stitches open. She had only admitted to Amanda she was worried about the scar she would have on her chest now. Dotty was worried that Kirk wouldn't find her attractive anymore. Amanda said she knew exactly how her mother felt. Amanda remembered that day in the hospital while Dotty was dressing that Amanda said, "Well Mother try being on your honeymoon and end up getting shot; doesn't exactly leave the greatest beauty mark." The two women laughed at it and it was then that Amanda knew her mother was going to be fine.

A week later she was back at home and doing well her normal routine, minus the twins, was getting back to normal. She missed the twins but until she was given a complete clean bill of health Lee and Amanda insisted she wouldn't be watching them, even with Kirk home. She needed rest still and maybe by the end of October she could have them back while Lee and Amanda were at work.

True to their word the day after Dotty was cleared for all normal activities and routines she opened the door to see the twins standing there smiling and asking if she was ready to play again. She leaned down and hugged them and with tears in her eyes she said, "Grandma is ready to play anything you want, anything at all my darlings."


	13. Halloween in Arlington

**Halloween in Arlington**

"I don't want to go and that is the final word from me on this Katie, do you understand that?" Philip was getting angrier the more Katie pushed the idea on him.

"I guess I don't understand; why don't you want you want to go to the Halloween dance, Philip?" She asked.

"Have you not been to our dances they don't work out so great for us. Think about it, sweetheart."

Amanda sat reading the paper as she listened to the Philip and Katie have the same argument they had for the last two days; ever since it was announced that the school was having a Halloween dance this year instead of the annual winter ball. Amanda knew why Philip was hesitating; his girlfriend was kidnapped and almost sold to the highest bidder the last dance they went to together.

"Katie just let it go, if you want to go then by all means go, but I am not going, so just asked your guaranteed backup everything and you and Jamie have a nice time." He stormed out of the room and slammed the door to his bedroom before his mother could stop him.

Katie walked over to the couch and said, "Why is he acting like this?"

"You can't think of anything that might make him not want to go to a school dance?"

Katie knew what she was talking about and she could see his point, "May I please be allowed to go to his room and talk with him?"

"Keep the door opened please."

Katie climbed the stairs and knocked on the door. While waiting for Philip to open or answer she saw the Matt in his room and he smiled at her and went back to his cars. Looking into the room she asked, "Where's the Princess my Prince?"

"She is sleeping."

"I don't see her." Katie said as she looked at Jennie's empty bed.

"She likes to sleep with Daddy's pillow. She is in Mommy's room."

"Oh, okay well have fun my Prince."

"Will you play with me?"

"In a few minutes I need to talk to Philip."

"About what; I thought I told you I was done talking." Katie turned and looked at her boyfriend of almost a year, she didn't count the five hours that they were together because of her mother, and smiled.

"I think we need to talk about what happened in February. I know it is something I have never really talked to you about and we need to clear the air about it."

Philip held out his hand and took her into his room and they sat on the bed.

"When I was first taken, my thoughts were of Lee. Things he told me about his job and how to get past the bad things. Never show the bad guys your fear, that is what they want and if you don't give it to them they can never take you completely. I was terrified I was going to be raped and murdered. Dying wasn't something that scared me as much as being raped." She stopped to take a breath and then continued, "When I began to realize I was being held for something else my fear slowed a bit, but not completely; it was the unknown. Then as I was left alone I thought about you. I know we are just teenagers and no one can explain our connection but when I closed my eyes and thought about you, I could see you on your skateboard, see you running in the rain laughing, and I could see you as you gave me your favorite sweatshirt because I was cold."

"You really thought about me while you were captured?"

"Every second I wasn't thinking about how to get out and get to Lee and Amanda and you. I just knew that I didn't want to die and never tell you that you weren't just my first boyfriend you are my first love, my first kiss, my first everything. Jamie is my best friend not a backup for his older brother. No one could take your place with me. I want to go to this dance because I want to be with you and have fun. I mean hell my first kiss with you was the result of a school dance and even though our second dance wasn't so great doesn't mean I want to stop dancing. Please go with me because I will go to the dance with or without you, but I would rather go with you."

"Okay, I will go, but do we have to dress up?"

"Not if you don't want to."

He laughed and pulled her in for a kiss and without either realizing it he laid her back and they continued to kiss and explore slightly until they heard Lee clearing his throat in the open doorway and the two teenagers pulled apart and sat up with barely an embarrassed look to them.

"Amanda said that dinner is almost ready. Go wash up."

Without saying another word he moved out of the way so they could pass and wash their hands and then Philip got Matt and helped him as Katie walked down stairs. Lee loosened his tie and walked into his room and saw Jennie on his side of the bed and he lay down next to her and ran his fingers through her little blond curls and wondered if they would turn brown as she got older or if they would take on the lighter tones of his. He pulled her up to lay her on his chest and rubbed her back to try and wake her. Her arms rested around his chest smiling when she saw him smiling back at her.

"What are you doing in here Princess?"

"I like to sleep with your pillow. I miss you when you leave Daddy."

"I miss you too Princess, but you won't have to miss Daddy for much longer I promise. I told you before that I am not going anywhere. Daddy will be here for you always. Mommy has dinner ready; why don't we wash up and go eat."

Lee didn't mention anything about what he saw in the bedroom when he went to get the kids for dinner but Amanda could tell something was up by the way the kids were acting and keep looking over at Lee. After dinner was over Philip and Katie volunteered to clear and clean the dishes even though it was Jamie and Lee's turn to clear and clean.

Sitting on the couch next to her husband Amanda quietly asked Lee, "Spill it Stetson, what do you have on them and why are you using it now?"

"I am not holding anything against them, I could but I'm not."

"What is it?"

"Nothing I can't handle on my own, do you not trust me, Amanda?"

"Of course I trust you; I just question volunteered help from a teenager that had a girl alone in his room."

"Don't worry when I found them they still had their clothes on."

"Why do I feel there is more to it than that?"

The Halloween dance was the same night as trick or treating for the kids. Katie and Philip decided to dress up as Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. Lee thought it was funny and Jamie came in the room, he was going to the dance but not dressing up. "Dad you think this is funny wait until you see the twins and what Mom has them in."

They were all talking when Amanda came in the room and said, "Okay they picked out their own costumes because I didn't have time to make them this year. So don't you,'' she said pointing a finger at Lee, "say one word, Stetson."

Matt came walking in dressed as Merlin and Jennie came in dressed as a Scarecrow; both smiling from ear to ear. Lee stared at his kids and asked innocently, "What are you two supposed to be for Halloween?"

Matt looked at Lee and giggled as he said, "A Wizard and Scarecrow, Daddy." With that explanation everyone in the room laughed, Matt and Jennie were the only ones who didn't get the joke.


	14. Blessings of Thanks

**Blessings of Thanks**

Billy and Lee were sitting in the restaurant waiting for Harry Thornton to arrive and both looking a little pale of the prospect of telling the Agency founder that it was about to be without a Director or a Field Section Chief.

"Happy November, boys." Harry said as he joined them at the table smiling like the cat that ate the canary and the goldfish.

"Harry, how are you?" Lee asked.

"Lee, my boy, I am great. This is my favorite time of year. I love the changing of the leaves and the crisp fall air; what about you two, anything new?"

Billy cleared his throat and from years of getting to the point he did just that, "Harry, Lee and I have some news for you and I am sure you won't be surprised in the least. I am putting in my letter of retirement and Lee has his letter of departure as well."

Harry sat and looked at his two friends and smiled, "I wondered how long it was going to take you two. Billy I knew you were ready to leave before we busted Austin; I am glad you have stayed on as long as you have, but I do understand your need. Your service has been greatly noted; please go into retirement and enjoy the rest of your life and really begin to live it. I take it since you have a letter as well that means you will not be taking Billy's place as Director of the Agency. I feel sad about that; I think it would have been a huge accomplishment to become Director at such a youthful age; what has brought on the desire to leave the Agency?"

"I want to enjoy all the things I never did growing up with my children. I want to see them come home from school and tell me about it, not just Amanda; I want to know that if they have a play or open house or ball game I will be there. I know it might not sound like a great reason, but I want to have my family I never had before. I almost lost my mother in law two months ago, she was alone with the twins, and I think I was more scared than Amanda was."

"So when is this changing of the guards taking place and who will the replacements be?"

Billy again spoke first, "I am holding open interviews for my position and have placed the posting in all Agency related offices. My last day will be December 15."

"Lee, what about your replacement?" Harry asked.

"I only have three agents in mind that have the clearance and the experience I trust to place in this position. They have all worked in my absence before and I will be talking to them later this day about their possible interest." Harry saw the conflict in Lee's eyes as he mentioned the word 'three' agents. He had a feeling that Mrs. Stetson was one of those agents.

"Lee, you are still a young man, what will you do without working at the Agency?"

Lee sat back at looked Harry in the eye and he said, "I don't know. I think at first I would just like to take some time and just do nothing. I will just have to figure it out when the time is right."

The three gentleman laughed and then finished lunch and Harry took their letters and said he would make sure the board got them and knew the intentions of both men and asked them to please keep him informed as to how the search for their replacements were going.

Lee walked off the elevator and saw the people he needed to talk with talking to each other and knew he had intentionally kept their loads light today. Amanda looked up as her husband walked into the Bull Pen and she smiled at him, she knew where and what is lunch was about today and she knew he was still torn with his decision to leave the Agency. He walked up to her and said, "Can I see you in my office?"

She stood and followed him in and sat across from him as he took his place behind his desk and said, "Am I doing the right thing by leaving? Billy is leaving and his position is open and he is holding interviews and it would be more money for us, not much but more."

"Then you would have even less time at home from what you do now. Lee you don't have to leave this job if you don't want to. This is something you have to decide, why are you second guessing yourself? Either you are ready to leave or you aren't. Maybe it is just the job you want to leave; do you want back in the field?"

"No, no I don't and I know I am ready to leave, I have done this for almost twenty years. I want to be there for and know my family Amanda."

"Then why are we even talking about this?" She asked.

"I don't know, I guess it is my M.O., act then think; I know what I need to do. Will you go get Jackson and Cox and have them meet me in the conference room? Also I would like you in there as well."

"No problem, I will go get it set up."

He watched her walk into the conference room as he prepared to see who of the three agents would be willing to take on the task of Field Section Chief. He wasn't going to even ask Amanda if she wanted the position, and she wouldn't have thought anything about it for the short amount of time she had been at the Agency compared to the other two. He wanted to at least give her the chance to turn it down; when he asked her opinion about leaving and who she thought of as replacements for him. It was her idea about Cox; they both knew Jackson was an excellent candidate but Cox was just as capable.

Another thing crossed his mind, he wanted to make sure that the person that took over would take care of his wife and protect her in his absence; he wasn't asking her to leave a job she still enjoyed coming to. Also if Jamie really did join the Agency like he insists he wants than that person will need to watch over his son as well; so he isn't just leaving an important job behind he is leaving his loved ones in someone else's hands and that is what was making this decision so hard for him.

Lee entered the conference room holding three personnel files in his hand and sat looking at the three agents in front of him. He sat looking over the files a few minutes and then Lee started to speak. He looked his wife in the eye and began.

"Each one of you is here because you have insight, strength, and a love for this job. In a few short weeks I will be leaving my position and one of you _**three**_ will be in the driver seat." He saw Amanda's eyes grow wide and before she could say anything he continued.

"I have each of your personnel files here with all the notes that Billy Melrose, myself and any fellow agents has ever written about you. This goes from past and present partners, past supervisors, and any tack teams you have worked with."

"I am here to find out which one if any of you are interested in taking on the job and all it entails. This is not a job to be taken lightly, it is longer hours, time away from home, and sometimes you will think it is your only home. You will be working with the new Director of the Agency as well as the President of the United States. You will be in charge and responsible for over 250 agents at any given time of the day or night; any questions?"

Brent Cox was the first to ask, "How soon would we have to let you know and when would we be taking over?"

"I need to know as soon as possible if you are interested to continue the interview process and the new position would begin December 20."

Adam Jackson was the next, "How soon would we know if we get the position?"

"If you are hired in to take over you would need to reassign any open cases you have, close out any reports you are currently working on and be ready to start shadowing within two weeks."

Amanda sat not saying anything. She knew all the reasons Lee was leaving the position; which made her wonder why he was asking if she wanted the job. She had worked the job one week while he was on vacation, but she wasn't ready to do this full time.

"Lee, I can tell you one hundred percent I would like to continue the interview process." Jackson said with confidence. Lee nodded in acknowledgement of his response and made a few notes for his own records.

"Amanda, you have been silent which is rare for you; do you have any comments or questions?"

"Just one question, Lee, why me; both of these gentlemen are more than capable and I haven't been at the Agency as long as them."

"While that your time here is shorter than the other two, you do have the clearance levels needed and just to be clear the three of you are in this room because of different people; I didn't choose all of you. Amanda you were not on my list of choices." He couldn't be for certain but he thought he saw relief in her eyes and then recognition of who may have put her name in the hat, Billy Melrose.

"Lee, I will let you know by the end of the day." Cox said and as before he nodded and acknowledged the response and made notes for his records.

"Now that you three know the reasoning for this little pow-wow and we have no more questions then I saw we get back to our current jobs. Have a nice day and good luck to all of you." Lee stood and left the room before Amanda cornered him. Not that it really mattered; she knew where he slept at night she would find him eventually.

He sat at his desk and began to read the files in front of him to begin to see if he could find fault with any of the candidates when he heard his door open and his blinds close. He didn't need to look up to see who it was; her perfume hit his senses as soon as she stepped in.

She walked in front of his desk and came to rest on the corner and said, "Billy suggested me didn't he?"

"He asked about it and yes he did suggest you." Taking her hand in his he rubbed his thumb over the back and hoped he hadn't hurt he feelings because the recommendation didn't come from him.

"He has always believed in me; even before I did. Not that I had expected a chance at this, but why didn't you think of me?"

"As your partner, I did for about five seconds and then your husband reared his ugly, jealous, selfish head and I thought about the reasons I wanted to be home more and what good would it do to have me be at home to be with my wife and children if I placed my wife in the position I left to be with her."

"Now who is rambling Stetson? Lee, I am honored that Billy thought of me, but I did this for a week; I don't want it longer than that at a time. I do still love and enjoy my job here at the Agency and I don't want to leave but I want to stay on where I am."

"What if my replacement replaces my assistant?"

"I am still in charge of freshman agent classes and Station One training, now unless I really screw that up our new FSC can have whomever he wants for an assistant. I think the exiting FSC could make him understand that I want to still do those jobs whether he wants me here or not as an assistant."

"I know why I am so nervous and second guessing myself over this leave. I have to leave you in this by yourself and even though we have worked with others we worked best together. I feel like I am leaving you out in the field alone; like I am abandoning you."

Amanda brushed her fingers through his hair and said, "Oh, sweetheart, you aren't abandoning me; you are allowing me to grow and you will be there to support me only now I won't be able to tell you things."

"I will still have my clearance; you can still talk things over with me. Are we okay then? Will we be okay?"

"Lee Matthew Stetson we will be perfectly fine; just don't try to promote me again. Mr. Stetson, I am formally declining to further the interview process for DC Field Section Chief; I am requesting that your replacement allow me to keep my current titles as Agent Instructor and Station One Coordinator."

"I will make a note of that in your formal record, Mrs. Stetson and thank you for your prompt reply to our request in this matter."

Lee pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "I am going to enjoy being at home more. I am so thankful you never gave up on me." He said as he smiled and winked at her before letting her off his lap and opening his blinds as she went back to her desk to finish her reports for the day.

Later that day Amanda found Lee at her desk with his feet up and leaning back. "Is there a problem with your desk for lounging?"

"No, I was just hoping that if your husband didn't mind if you could give me a ride home, then I thought I would show my appreciation and make dinner."

"I can guarantee that if my husband has a problem with that then he is out and you are in, come on let's get out of here."

As they headed for the elevator Lee heard someone calling his name and his heart sank until he figured out that it was Brent Cox calling him. "Brent, is everything okay?"

"Yes, it is just that I tried calling your office and no one answered and I said that I would give you my answer by the end of today and well I thought I had missed my chance to tell you that I would like very much like to continue the interview process."

Lee smiled and said, "Okay, great I look forward to moving forward then. Thank you. Have a nice night Brent." Lee and Amanda got into the elevator and Lee turned to his wife and said, "Why do I have a feeling you threw his name in just because he is the only other person in this entire building that puts as much detail of a conversation into one breath as you do?"

"Not funny, not funny at all."

The next few weeks were a blur for Lee and Amanda. With the holidays and extra Embassy parties and security details; the couple not only had not seen each other in weeks but they had taken shifts at home to try and keep things in balance and on schedule.

Thanksgiving Day found Amanda at home with the kids, Dotty and Kirk, and Katie and Constance. Lee left that morning promising that he would do everything in is power to be there for dinner. He was still training Jackson for his job and for the most part Lee just needed to be there to oversee things.

Amanda called the office an hour before dinner was ready and asked for Lee and she was told he was at the hospital. "Why wasn't I called when he went?"

"He told us not to call you under any circumstance."

"He was wrong; anytime my husband goes to a hospital I need to be informed."

Amanda hung up and called the hospital and gave the proper codes and asked to speak to her husband.

"A-man-da, I am fine. I will be home in about thirty minutes actually. Now don't worry."

Everyone was sitting at the table about to eat when they heard Lee walking in. His arm was in in a sling and his face still covered with what Amanda knew to be ash from an explosion. She rushed and put her arms around him and he flinched as her arms went around him.

"A-man-da, that hurts please be careful."

"I'm sorry, go wash up we will wait for you."

He climbed the stairs and began to wash his face and hands and then change his clothes. He went downstairs and sat down with his family. The concerns on their faces, Constance, made him smile.

"It is nothing really. I will tell you all about it when the twins go to bed; now can we eat this wonderful meal. Amanda it looks wonderful."

"Before we eat, Dad you know the tradition, we all tell what we are thankful for other than the 'my family' thing." Philip said looking at everyone at the table.

Dotty and Kirk just agreed that it was a thankful blessing to just be able to be with everyone. Amanda said she was still thankful for no more secrets. Jamie said he was thankful for passing his advanced calculus tests. Philip said he was thankful for mistakes because he learned more from them than anything else. Lee said he was thankful for train stations and the he asked Matt and Jennie what they were thankful for.

Without missing a beat Matt said, "Ice Cream!"

Jennie said, "What do you mean?"

Amanda said, "Jennie, honey, thankful means that you are happy something is in your life. So what do you have in your life to be thankful for besides the people at this table?"

"Ice Cream!" Matt said again in case someone may have missed it.

Jennie looked at everyone and said, "Doctors and badges." Everyone looked at her rather curiously and Katie asked, "Princess what do you mean by doctors and badges?"

"Doctors helped grandma and Daddy has a badge that keeps monsters from my room. I like that. Can we eat now?"

Philip raised his glass and said, "To doctors and badges, long may they reign."


	15. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

**The Most Wonderful Time of the Year**

Football and decorations were on the agenda in the Stetson/King household the day after Thanksgiving. Lee and the boys had put the tree up the night before. It still broke Amanda's heart that they could no longer have a real tree anymore. Amanda still remembered their first Christmas with the twins; they were almost one and while decorating the tree Jamie noticed that the twins, who were napping, didn't look right. Dotty looked at them and noticed that their breathing was shallow and they looked slightly blue. A trip to the emergency room showed that they were having an allergic reaction to the pine Christmas tree. Amanda immediately called the boys telling them to remove the tree and begin cleaning any traces of pine from the house.

Ironically, their first year tree ornament was a green pine tree with their names and year. Amanda handed each of them their ornament and had them place it on the tree. Next Philip and Jamie placed theirs. Dotty placed an ornament on that was in remembrance of Amanda's father. Kirk placed a tiny plane on after Dotty. Amanda placed her Scarecrow ornament on the tree. Lee came in to see how the tree was coming along and Amanda handed him is ornament to place on the tree, a small train with a red Shriner hat on it. Every year Amanda and Lee placed their ornaments on the tree it never failed to make them both bust out in laughter.

Katie was sitting and watching as they placed their ornaments when Philip came over and handed her a box. "What is this, babe?"

"Well, Jamie and I were talking and whether or not we were dating you would be a part of this family, even if we ever broke up; so it is only fair that you have an ornament as well."

Katie opened the box and tears came to her eyes as she looked at the snowflake that held a picture of her and Lee from the winter formal the year earlier.

"Why does it have only me and Lee?"

"Because it isn't just about you and Dad; see Jamie took the picture, Mom and Grandma found the ornament, the picture is from our first winter formal, when we got together, not to mention this is one of my favorite pictures of you even if Dad is in it, and Matt and Jennie signed their X on the back. So you see it is from all of us to you to show you how important you are to all of us." Philip took her hand and led her to the tree where she placed it between his baseball one and Jamie's camera. After she placed it Philip then dramatically bent her back and kissed her. After a few seconds Lee and Amanda both began to clear their throats.

With the tree finished they all settled into the living room to watch a football game and have leftovers then after the game it was time for the Christmas movies. Amanda had just settled down on the floor with the twins in between her and Lee when the phone rang and Jamie said that it was for her. Standing she said, "Hello, this is Amanda."

"Amanda, how are you? This is Francine."

"Francine, I am doing great, what about you and Effraim; how are you two doing in sunny California?"

"Oh, we are doing fine. Effraim is staying busy and I am busy getting some things ready for the baby. I just wanted to let you know that we are having a girl and Effraim and I agreed that we want you and Lee to be the godparents."

"That is so sweet, Lee honey come here a minute." Amanda called him over and he was having a time untangling himself from Matt and Jennie. He loved playing with tem but with his arm in a sling it wasn't the best time to wrestle.

He walked into the kitchen and said, "Is everything okay?"

"Fine Francine is on the phone and wants to tell you something."

"Hey, Blondie, got that California tan yet?"

"No, not yet; I was just telling Amanda that we have decided if you both agree that Effraim and I want you and Amanda to be our daughter's godparents."

"I can't speak for Amanda but I would be proud. When is she due again?" Lee just shook his head; he never thought in a million years that he and Francine would be talking about due dates and godparents.

"February 1st is her due date in a perfect world." Amanda took note of the change in looks in Lee's expression from full on Stetson smile to complete Scarecrow scowl.

Francine was trying to sound like everything was fine but Lee had known her for too long to buy it, he turned his back to Amanda and asked her, "What aren't you saying Beaman?"

He heard the tears as she said, "Don't tell Amanda, but I have been put on complete bed rest and they don't even know if the baby will survive. The scar damage is worse than they first believed and after Christmas I will be placed in round the clock care at the hospital until I deliver. So want to know her name?"

"Of course I do, what is it?" The soft concern in his voice was not missed on Amanda's ears as he kept avoiding her eyes. She wanted to know what was wrong with her friend and he wasn't giving her anything to go on.

"Her name is going to be Amanda Lee Beaman."

Amanda stopped him from turning from her and as she saw the tears in his eyes and heard him clearing his throat he told Francine it was a beautiful name and he couldn't wait to meet the little lady and then said he would talk to her in about a week or two. He handed the phone back to Amanda and went upstairs and began to cry. He cried for his friend that was suffering and hurting and he cried for the tiny baby that was fighting to be just as strong as her mother just to make it into this world. It was times like this when he silently wished Amanda hadn't opened his feelings.

He came down to see Amanda and the others had found a movie and were watching it. He knew from the black and white screen he hadn't missed much. He knew this was the twins' first time seeing the movie and so he took his spot next to them and he laughed as they watched the movie screen go from black and white to color squealing with excitement.

When Dorothy came upon the Scarecrow Matt jumped up and down and said, "Look it is Daddy; Daddy you're Scarecrow."

"Not for much longer, Buddy; Daddy will just be Daddy. Let us just watch the movie." None of the other kids seemed to make the connection as to what he had said and Lee wanted it that way. He wanted to still surprise them for Christmas.

The weeks leading up to his and Billy's departure went by faster than Lee had anticipated. Lee and Jackson had meet for a few lunches with Billy and his new replacement, an agent Lee had worked with on a number of occasions.

Lee and Amanda walked into the briefing room and Lee was going to introduce Jackson as his official replacement and then take a seat and let Jackson run the meeting. He also knew that it was Billy's last meeting and his replacement was there as well. Lee had worked with him on a number of occasions and knew he would do a good job; Lee wasn't happy with the man as he continued to watch Lee's wife with such interest.

"Good morning everyone; I would like all of you to get to know your new Field Section Chief, Adam Jackson." Adam stood and shook Lee's hand and as Lee took his seat next to Amanda he felt all the stress of the last few weeks melt away and he had never seemed so relaxed. The meeting went well and Lee told Adam he would see him in a minute he needed to talk with Amanda.

"Amanda, I wanted to let you know that I approved a request for you to take a leave of absence from right after Christmas until right before the twins' birthday in January."

"Lee I didn't put in for a leave so why would you do that?"

"You, along with me and the twins, will be flying out to California."

"Does this have anything to do with Francine and why you haven't been yourself since Thanksgiving? Not to mention what are we going to do with Philip and Jamie?"

"All I can say is I approved your request for a leave and we will talk about Philip and Jamie at lunch today if you can have lunch with me, if you can't then we will talk at dinner." Lee walked out of the conference room and left Amanda standing shaking her head.

Later at lunch Amanda was waiting for Lee; who showed up ten minutes late. Leaning up to meet his kiss as he bent she said, "Stetson, you are late did you have a hard time getting away from the boss?"

"Yeah, that guy has to go; I think I will have him fired."

"Good idea, he keeps trying to seduce me."

"Trying?"

They laughed at the joke and after placing their order Amanda cornered him, "Okay, what is this about me taking a leave and going to California?"

"I wasn't allowed to say anything before but Francine will be placed on hospital bed rest after Christmas and Effraim and I thought she would need you to get through being in the hospital. She is having a really hard time; she thinks something will be wrong with the baby."

"All first time mothers worry something could go wrong or they ate the wrong foods or they sat to close to a smoker in a restaurant. She will be fine; this is Francine Desmond Beaman we are talking about."

"Amanda, I have never heard her so scared in all my life of knowing her. I have seen terrorist do everything but rape her and she never flinched; being told she had so much scare damage that her child might not make it a full forty weeks in her womb has scared her beyond anything I have ever known."

Amanda looked at Lee and couldn't believe what she was hearing. She never thought of Francine as fragile before, but then again Francine never wanted a baby before getting married. "I think a trip to California is just what the doctor ordered. Lee, if I get shot this time I am never going back there."

Lee couldn't believe she could laugh about her shooting and near death. He never really asked her a lot about the accident before he just wanted it far from his mind. He still didn't like talking about it.

"So the day after Christmas we leave for California; Lee what are we going to do with the twins and the boys?"

"I intend to bring the twins with us; I need time with them. The boys will still be on break, but only a week and we will be there a little longer than a week. It would seem that our options are to bring the boys with us and then return them a week later, leave them with your mother, leave them with Constance and Katie, or let them stay on their own?"

"Lee Matthew Stetson, are you completely brain damaged? You want to leave our two teenage sons alone for over two weeks? Do you realize we wouldn't have a home to return to? Not to mention did you forget about the growing raging hormones of all three teenagers?"

"No, I hadn't forgotten any of that, but here me out. We keep telling them that we trust them, than we need to prove it. Give them the resemblance of responsibility. Your mother and Kirk are only a few minutes and blocks away; we will have extra rules for Philip and Katie, and Jamie if he begins dating again. Besides if we need interruptions all we have to do is let people think we want time alone together and the doorbell won't quit ringing or the phone for that matter."

Amanda laughed and shook her head at her husband. She knew going to California was the right idea and so she made Lee a counter offer to his idea.

"Okay Stetson, here's the plan we go with. I will go with you and the twins to California but after I get Francine normal again, and I am using that term loosely, then we head home until she gets closer to her due date. The boys can stay by themselves with mother checking in on them and making sure they eat more than stale pizza and junk food while we are gone. What is your solution to the raging hormones?"

"I will have another man to man talk with the boys and explain that the house is off limits to girls unless Dotty or Kirk is there and if I find out that Katie or any other girl was there then they will wish they had more hand to hand training then what I have given them. Sound reasonable?"

"Yes, I will talk with mother when I get the twins tonight. Are you ready for next week?"

"I think I really am. Billy will be done tomorrow, I have six days and then I get to tell the boys and the twins the news that I am out." Lee's fork stopped half way to his mouth as he said those last words and Amanda knew that the reality of his decision was finally sinking in.

"Lee, are you okay you look kind of funny."

"Yeah, I think that was the first time I said it out loud except to tell you and Billy and Harry officially. I really only have six more days at the Agency on an official capacity. I mean I still have my clearance and I am always here if I am needed for advice, but not actual work."

"I know, that is why I asked if you were okay. You didn't have to leave the Agency to not be in charge any longer."

"No, I did need to leave, it is still an important job and someone still has to do it, just not me any longer. I can still find a way to make a difference, just in another way. Come on we need to get back to the office before we are later than what we already are. I know how the boss is today."

Lee, Billy, Amanda, and Jeannie all went out to dinner the next night together. They shared a wonderful meal and the conversation was filled with Billy explaining that he and Jeannie would be leaving for a worldwide cruise after the New Year.

"For once he is going to enjoy seeing the world." Jeannie said and they all laughed. Billy just nodded in agreement with his wife he was ready for the time to be with her. "No guns allowed on the ship."

"I will always be armed; I have the best bodyguard next to Lee, a wife." Billy said teasingly.

"The partners we will ever have, my friend." Lee said patting Billy on the shoulder and after about another hour, a few dances, and fighting over the check, the four made plans on Lee's last day.

"I can't wait."

Five days later as Lee and Amanda were getting ready to leave the Bull Pen Adam's new assistant told Adam that a plane with two Senators and three Congressmen were being held hostage at Dulles International. Lee froze and Amanda placed her hand on his arm as she said, "He has this, it is his problem not yours."

"Amanda, Lee, have a great night tonight; you've earned it, Scarecrow." Adam said as they headed for the elevator. Lee stepped out of the elevator and handed his in house badge over to Mrs. Marston. Lee was surprised when she stood and walked around the desk and gave Lee a hug and handed him a card and present. "Don't open it until you get home tonight."

"Thank you, Mrs. Marston. It has been a pleasure working with you."

"You too; that is after you started working with Mrs. Stetson." She smiled at him and he said, "The only reason my charm never worked on you because you already found your partner." He kissed her cheek and then putting his hand on the small of his wife's back he left the Agency behind.

They walked into the back room Lee was only expecting to see Billy and Jeannie but to his surprise he was greeted not only the other couple but his four children, mother and father in law, and Katie and Constance.

"Amanda, what is this?"

"I thought we would have a celebration all at once, beside Christmas is just around the corner and the kids get a present early any way."

As their entrees were placed and served Lee stood up and raised his glass to get everyone's attention and said, "Now I know that most of you at this table think that this is a dinner to celebrate Billy's retirement but in reality it is to let all of you know that as of five o'clock tonight I am no longer the Field Section Chief at the Agency."

Philip spoke first, "You mean you aren't an agent any longer?"

"I really haven't been an agent since before the twins were born, but to put it simply, I left my job of almost twenty years. I am now jobless."

Billy laughed and said, "If you think parenthood was hard on a part time basis wait until you are full time; you will be begging for KGB and bullets flying overhead."

Lee laughed and said, "You may just be right my friend."

Christmas morning consisted of Lee and Amanda watching their four children opened their gifts and Philip and Jamie having a serious talk with Lee about their actions while they were gone. Both boys agreed and said they understood and promised they wouldn't break their parents trust.

Lee sat at the table and after Amanda had said the dinner prayer Lee looked over at his family and Jamie asked him, "Dad, why are you looking like that?"

"I was just thinking that this has been a very trying and difficult year for this family but as I sit here and see all of your faces I know now what your mother meant all those years ago when she said this was the most wonderful time of the year. I am so grateful for all of you and I never will take a day for granted but cherish every day I get with you."


	16. Full Circle

**Final Chapter**

**Full Circle**

Philip and Jamie kept their promise to their parents while they were gone to visit Francine in California after Christmas and followed all the rules that were put in place for them. Lee and the twins came home a week after the boys had went to school and he promised that as soon as Amanda called to say the baby was here they would be back.

Amanda spent her time between the hospital and Francine's finishing up the little details. Amanda was really surprised how much Francine had done and she found out from Effraim that Francine did most of it herself; she never hired anyone.

Amanda and Effraim showed up to visit with Francine a few days after Lee had left and found nurses and doctors running in and out of Francine's room. As the got closer Amanda heard a nurse telling Francine it was doing no good to yell because if she was yelling the baby wasn't getting oxygen and would die.

Amanda saw the fear in Francine's face and Amanda told the nurse to get out of her way and the room and if she didn't she would be charting the birth rates of whales. The nurse went to said something but Amanda just turned her back and made Francine focus.

"Francine, listen to me. Your baby isn't going to die, but that nurse might if she crosses me. I need you to calm down; your daughter is already in a hurry to get here, so let's just do what we have to do to get her here safely. Let's show her how strong her Mommy really is."

Francine's scared blue eyes focused on Amanda's calm ones and her breathing regulated and she calmed down and did whatever it was Amanda told her to do. When the time came to take her down to surgery for her C section Amanda walked all the way with her until she couldn't any longer. Amanda told her Effraim was waiting for her and in a few minutes she would have a baby girl.

Amanda barely had time to call Lee and tell him that Francine was delivering the baby before Effraim was standing next to her announcing, "Amanda Lee Beaman is here and she is perfect."

Amanda said, "Lee did you here that? They named her after us." She could almost see that Stetson grin as he said, "I knew what they were going to name her since November. I am glad everything went well. Give Francine and Effraim my love and congratulations and let them know we will be there tomorrow to see her and then we have to get back and get a party to get done."

Lee arrived the next afternoon and went to the hospital to find Effraim at the regular nursery. He looked at the tiny girl that Beaman couldn't take his eyes off of. "Hey, I thought I would find you in the NICU area, what is going on?"

"She wasn't premature. Her due date was off because off all the scar tissue. They could never get an accurate date or size. She is actually a week over due. She is perfect. Francine is having a hard time though. She hasn't even held her yet. Amanda can't even get her to hold her. She is terrified and matter what any of us tell her she won't believe us."

"Get your daughter out of there and to Francine's room. I will take care of this."

Lee walked in and Amanda was trying to get Francine to eat but she wouldn't. She saw Lee and she shrugged her shoulders and then she saw Effraim walked in with the sleeping baby in his arms and handed her to Lee. Amanda knew the look Lee had in his eyes and as he kissed the baby he waved the other to out of the room and he sat next to Francine. The baby started to fuss and as he calmed her Francine turned to him at the sound of his voice, "Lee, what is wrong with her? No one will tell me."

"She wants her Mommy." Lee did what no one else had; he placed the baby in Francine's arms and walked out of the room.

Amanda and Effraim looked at him and said in unison, "Where is Manda?"

"Where she belongs, now go visit with your girls."

A few days later Amanda and Lee were back in Arlington and had finished making plans for the twins' birthday. He knew that it would always be a hard day with the one year anniversary of Joe and Carrie's death, so for this first year they had planned just pizza and cake with the family.

That morning they had went to Joe and Carrie's grave to place flowers and give the boys some time. Lee explained to the twins what Philip, Jamie, and Amanda was doing and why.

"So Uncle Joe and Aunt Carrie have been in heaven since our last birthday, Daddy?"

"Yes, Buddy, they have. That is why we are visiting them here and leaving them some pretty flowers."

"Like when we visit Grandma Jennie and Grandpa Matt?"

"Yes, Princess." Lee was sure they still didn't understand but he liked they asked questions.

Later that night after cake and ice cream Lee and Amanda watched as Jennie and Matt went into the living room and each took one of their blue and pink birthday balloons and walked over to where Philip and Jamie were at the kitchen table talking with Katie.

"Come on." They said pulling on the boys arms and Philip said, "Slow down where are we going?"

"Outside."

Everyone followed the twins out into the backyard and as they held onto their older brother's hand as they let their balloons go into the sky and Jennie said, "Do you think they will like them, Jamie?"

"Who?"

"Do you think Uncle Joe and Aunt Carrie will like the balloons when they get them in heaven?"

Amanda turned her head into Lee's shoulders as he held her while she cried at their words. Jamie and Philip gave their brother and sister and hug and Jamie said, "Of course they will."


End file.
